I would say that travelling around the cricket playing world, watching, interacting and understanding different cultures and their world view has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Among the many life-changing lessons for me have been the insights I have gained into the human need and desire for clutching on to their roots while living in an culture that they find different and even alien from their own.

The vast number of Indians that you see filling the grounds in countries like England, Australia, the West Indies and New Zealand are people who have migrated from their home country, some of them many generations ago. They are no longer citizens of India, yet when the cricket team from the country they have roots in, plays in their country of adoption, they whole-heartedly support them.

Their vociferous support, the flag waving and expressing themselves in many symbols of Indian culture at the ground is a reflection of how much they miss their roots. What impressed and even surprised me was the fact that the Indian diaspora would be cheering the rivals of the country they are citizens of, yet there would be no tension or unpleasantness at the ground.

(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)