Among the believers

“To Lahli we went like pilgrims to a mela.” Farewell, for India Today.

Forsaking aching breaking years

“Except possibly Springsteen I’m not sure I’d heard formulations like that in rock before. They were vague and specific, correct and powerful.” Australian rock songs in an Indian teenagehood, for Christian Ryan’s magnificent new production, Rock Country

Love Letters

Of two Indian cricketers who found love on tour, romance by post, and left to make a home in countries far away. The Nightwatchman.

The Great Tamasha

A review of James Astill’s book on Indian cricket, for the New York Times.

Dravid & Laxman

“The great sitar player Ustad Vilayat Khan once said the idea of a jugalbandi was to both showcase and subdue oneself.  As he hands over to his partner, the artiste must judge how much to dissolve the tune. Dravid and Laxman dissolved into one another more harmoniously, more significantly, than any other Indian duo.”

A tribute to the great batsmen in Wisden Almanack no. 150.

Solar explorations

A short conversation with Duncan McKenzie about his beautiful photographs from Ladakh. Intelligent Life magazine.

The 281 era

‘They were old and young, cussed and carefree, short and tall, bald and hirsute, consumers of orange juice or buffalo milk or vodka, and could greet or abuse you in about eight languages.’

On a memorable bunch of cricketers, for Wisden India, the new blue almanack.

The best sight in cricket

Writers pick one each on Cricinfo. I go with the clean bowled.

In a Strange Room

On Damon Galgut’s beautiful novel. A very short piece for Outlook Traveller‘s Classics section.