By Sanjay Manjrekar Harper Sports, 699

effort, was it?”

But there is more to Imperfect than the cricket, though the tag of “unfulfilled” will never really go away. Sanjay has translated his “geeky” ( his own word) personality into a fine, cutting, analytical commentate, who is respected — and welcome — presence on TV screens. The book also reveals why this is so. Manjrekar has the gift of looking at hard truths without flinching — be it about himself and his flaws and shortcomings, his beloved Mumbai cricket, his time in the national team, or thereafter. He also has good recall, recounting several hilarious incidents dotting his years in the game, including how legendary Pakistan legspinner Abdul Qadir once furiously chased and caught a spectator for pinching his bottom as the teams were at nets in Karachi during India’s 1989 tour.

For followers of the game, there are keen insights into why Mumbai were such a great team at the domestic level, yet at the same time why their approach was part of his downfall, and others from the city, where cricket took precedence over everything else. He has explained without putting filters why Team India were such reluctant or rare winners overseas till Mahendra Singh Dhoni came along, why the Pakistan of his time always had his admiration for their never say die attitude, how West Indies were once such great ambassadors of the game and for those who still want to know, why India lost to Sri Lanka in the semi- finals of the 1996 World Cup at the Eden Gardens after beating Pakistan in a pulsating quarter- final in Bangalore. To quote or paraphrase from his recollections would do great injustice to what had happened, It’s best in the book by Sanjay manjrekar himself.

For young is much Imperfect.

cricketers there to learn from The importance