The concept and understanding of how causes and conditions govern every action of ours was absent in me then, hence that book may have a more reactive tone to it. .

In 'Not Just Cricket', I have tried my best to write and explore the entire narrative with a gentle gaze. Everthin written is factual and anecdotal. Rather than analyzing, I have written how things transpired. It's a story, an eyewitness account of the events. There is a chapter on the probe during the IPL match-fixing scandal which describes how one star Indian player was almost caught and other contentious issues. I, however, have voiced my opinion in a way that it is the reader who decides whether a given situation is wrong or right, based on his cognition and understanding.. It's a story, where there are characters, a plot and dialogues.

So yeah, I would say that writing this memoir was an inclusive process, it wasn't only about writing, but a process of self-awareness and acceptance of human nature's frailty.

———

There has been a radical shift in how stories were reported earlier and are in recent times. When I started my career, journalism was much simpler. Media houses weren't controlled by big corporations. Newspapers relied on government advertisements for their funding. Also as a junior, you aren't aware of the pressure that this profession comes with.

My journey in journalism coincided with the country going through major political and economic upheavals. As India got its new economic policy in the late 90s, and trade got liberalized, multinational companies and private enterprise started owning up the markets. With their businesses expanding, they started advertising in the newspapers, even signing players and film actors for their commercials.

(As told to Sanya Tyagi)

To be continued..

To get books:

(Not Quite Cricket: The Xplosive Story of How Bookmakers Influence the Game Today https://amzn.eu/d/dA4ddKV)

(NOT JUST CRICKET: A Reporter's Journey through Modern India https://amzn.eu/d/3yp6NXc)