Chasing Like Dhoni, by Ayush Purthan and Samod, has little to do with MS Dhoni or, for that matter, chasing. And yet, the book manages to weave its narrative around an inflection point that has Dhoni at the centre of it.
Published by Penguin, Purthan and Samod’s work delves into the roots of the Indian cricketing ecosystem, one that stays far away from glamour. Dhoni, who finds very little mention in the book despite it being named after him, works as a key moment in Indian cricketing history. The authors argue that Dhoni’s selection in the Indian team, and then his legendary run as captain, changed the way cricket was viewed in India’s suburbs and villages.
Dhoni became a beacon of hope that one did not need to be from the posh colonies of Mumbai, Chennai, or Bengaluru to become a top-tier cricketer. It made cricket feel achievable for a billion Indians who were not from that one per cent of the population. Chasing Like Dhoni is about that dream, and the cost – emotional, mental, and financial – associated with it.
HEAVY ON RESEARCH AND GROUNDWORK
The first thing that strikes the reader is the amount of research Purthan and Samod have put in. The real gems are the snippets that the book provides into the lives of real characters trying to make it big in the world of Indian cricket.
Courtesy of their extensive travelling throughout the Indian cricketing season, Purthan and Samod are able to find interesting characters from Andaman and Nicobar, Madhya Pradesh, and Shillong, all of whom face different challenges while trying to become professional cricketers.
Chasing Like Dhoni is not oblivious to the fact that the world of Indian cricket is a messy one. Many of its examples are woven with dark reminders that the way cricket has been commercialised in the country is detrimental to the sport itself.
The lack of infrastructure in state boards, corruption rackets in cities, and controversy-filled figures who roam around freely with impunity are all issues that the book discusses openly.
If anything, what this book does well is bring together anecdotes that capture the cricketing zeitgeist of our society. If read in the future, it might offer a summarised version of how cricket operated in the 2000s and 2010s, and the social contexts behind it.
STORIES FROM THE HEARTLAND
The standout moment of the narrative arrives midway through the book, where an entire section is dedicated to women’s cricket. The book points out the systematic hurdles of playing sport in India’s hinterlands, obstacles that become major barriers even before reaching a semi-professional level.
The book narrates harrowing accounts of places where women are asked not to play beyond a certain time of the day because their skin would darken. It talks about how, if they do not toughen up during their periods, they are berated by coaches, and how marriage becomes a massive obstacle in their path towards professional careers.
The marriage aspect is expanded through two separate accounts, including that of former India captain Mithali Raj.
BREEZY 200-PAGER
At only 200 pages, the book offers a breezy weekend read into stories that stay away from glamour – and that is its biggest strength. The final two chapters are dedicated to elite-level athletes who failed to cut through the rat race that is selection in the Indian team.
The chapters speak about the mental toll that takes on players, and how a cricketer from a marginalised community has the ability to bring large sections of society together.
There are two places where the book perhaps falters – and this is entirely subjective.
First, it abandons what I consider some of its strongest stories too quickly. Two particular examples come to mind. One is that of an Andaman cricketer, the first from his island, who has to travel to Kerala to play.
The second is Disha Singh, descended from a Baaghi (dacoit). Disha’s story is explored more than Moore’s, but even then the book leaves it after only a few pages. There are several such examples that, if expanded, could have brought even deeper insights.
The second pet peeve is the language, which first reads like an extended news article and second relies heavily on stats and figures to support its arguments.
It does not need to do that. The stories are strong enough to make readers understand the diversity of struggles young cricketers face in India.
LASTING IMPRESSION
Ayush Purthan and Samod’s book leaves a strong impression because of the way it captures the mania of Indian cricket. Without delving into the glitz and glamour of it, they provide an image of India that has turned cricket into a rat race. They argue that cricket’s training centres now operate like IIT coaching centres, feeding on the fears and insecurities of children and their parents.
It is a grim reality, but it is what it is, says the book.
Chasing Like Dhoni does not leave the reader hanging at the edge of a cliff though. It suggests that better models of sporting administration are needed to address these issues, and that India can look towards countries like Norway for solutions.
However, it does not expand on that thought. But that is perhaps a job for a different book, and a different review.
– Ends
