Madhavrao Scindia won the election. Had the railway vote not gone in his favour, he would have lost. I write about this in my book to explain how increasingly important political functionaries were getting involved in Board's administration including the PM of the country.

This reflects the power-and influence cricket has in our country and why politicians and big corporations want to be part of it. I have seen it all, the good, bad and the ugly. When it comes to cricket, all political leaders, regardless Of which party they belong to, join hands to gain it's control. Same holds true for businessmen.

For them cricket isn't just a sport, it's an opportunity. With a game that's loved by millions, cricket provides an arena, a platform for these politicians to reach out to the public. It has always been like this, now and in the past.It is a game within the game. It's a complex web of politics and deceit which I have tried to expose through anecdotal account's in my book.

There was never a dull day while covering cricket. The sport has consumed the hearts and minds of the nation with players being idolised and treated like gods.

When the dark side of the game came to light, it had to come as a terrible shock. The 2013 IPL spot-fixing controversy is one such dark chapter of cricket. The cricket fans had gone through a nightmare in 2000 when well-known cricketers were found to be involved in match fixing. 13 years later, they realised it may have never stopped.

(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)