A World Cup that had so much (and could have had so much more) – Rahul Bhattacharya interview

We are thrilled to have novelist and cricket writer Rahul Bhattacharya to talk about his experiences from the World Cup.

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Talking points: 

• Cricket writing v cricket analysis – and how each is a specialised job
• Does the BCCI care for what is written about them in the press?
• The antipathy towards Indian and foreign fans throughout this World Cup
• The staggering amount of money people were willing to pay for tickets
• The experience of covering a match at Ahmedabad
• India v Pakistan – and how the discourse seems to be war minus the shooting
• Jasprit Bumrah – what can’t he do?
• The electricity of India’s fast bowling trio
• Maxwell’s fantastical night
• Rohit Sharma – the dada batsman
• Virat Kohli’s fitness – and his Djokovic-level fitness
• Australia’s perfect game in the final
• Travis Head and his Gilchrist-like audacity
• The ‘anyone but India’ sentiment pervading much of the cricket world

Participants:

Rahul Bhattacharya

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

Ashoka (@ABVan)

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Related:

• What the World Cup means – Rahul Bhattacharya – Hindustan Times
• Many shades of the Indian cricket fan – Rahul Bhattacharya – Hindustan Times
• With a skip and a stutter, Bumrah conjures up another miracle – Rahul Bhattacharya – Hindustan Times
•  They turn up to watch India bowl – Rahul Bhattacharya – Hindustan Times
• Rahul Bhattacharya’s ⁠Hindustan Times columns⁠
• Pakistan fans a glaring absence at India Cricket World Cup clash – Rahul Bhattacharya – Al Jazeera
• Indian hype for Cricket World Cup will grow but fans come off second best – Rahul Bhattacharya – Guardian
• Shiv on the Shore – Rahul Bhattacharya profiles Shivnarine Chanderpaul – The Cricket Monthly 
• Pundits from Pakistan – Rahul Bhattacharya – Amazon
• Sly Company of People who care – Rahul Bhattacharya – Amazon
• Buy War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee – Amazon
• Buy Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward – Amazon

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Lead image from here.