A Corner of a Foreign Field is a masterful blend of biography and social history that follows cricket through the arc of modern India and the wider world of empire. The book intertwines the lives of famous stars with lesser-known figures to reveal how sport reflects, and even helps shape, politics, caste, and culture across decades. It is written for adults and curious readers who love biographies, history, or cricket, offering a thoughtful, engaging read that illuminates why the game matters beyond the scoreboard. The tone is warm, insightful, and quietly provocative, inviting both reflection and wonder.
In this narrative, A Corner of a Foreign Field weaves portraits of players—from C. K. Nayudu to Sachin Tendulkar and Palwankar Baloo—to illuminate larger currents such as imperial practice, independence, and social reform. It also ventures into the uneasy Hindu–Muslim cricketing rivalries of colonial and post-colonial India, and what the sport can tell us about national identity and belonging.
The expanded edition adds a fresh introduction and a long new chapter that bring the story up to date with the rise of the Indian Premier League and India's 2011 World Cup triumph, linking cricket to the sweeping social and economic transformations of contemporary India.
- Interwoven portraits of cricketers and the social forces that shaped Indian life
- Exploration of empire, caste discrimination, Hindu–Muslim cricketing rivalries, and national identity
- New edition with a fresh introduction and a long new chapter, updating the narrative to the IPL era and 2011 World Cup victory
- Clear, accessible prose that blends biography with historical analysis
- A thoughtful meditation on the role of sport in society and culture
After finishing A Corner of a Foreign Field, readers gain a nuanced sense of how cricket mirrors and shapes India's social transformations, from empire to modern nation. It leaves you with new questions about identity, power, and sport, and a lasting appreciation for the ways a corner of the field can illuminate a country's history—and its future.
