For the love of attack

What is the best day of cricket you have watched live?
My very first. Budhi Kunderan batting against England, Brabourne Stadium, 1963-64, tossing his bat up in the air when he got caught, catching it as he ran into the pavilion. I was hooked.



Who is the one player you would pay to watch?
Sehwag. He could transform a game, like a swashbuckling hero dispelling a dozen attackers with his rapier. Kapil Dev before him commanded the ground.

Who would captain your all-time XI?
Mike Brearley. The only cricketer who was a better captain than he was a player.



What's the best place to watch cricket?
I've been privileged to sit behind the bowler's arm at Eden Gardens, the Feroz Shah Kotla, the Brabourne Stadium (but not the Wankhede), the Nehru Stadium in Kochi, The Oval in London, Lord's, the Wanderers, the MCG, the old Adelaide Oval, and a lovely ground in Paarl in South Africa. If I had to pick one, it would probably be Eden Gardens, where I saw many matches as a teenager and often got into the press box!

As a kid, what was your speciality when you played cricket?
I was an allrounder who did everything with great style and little ability. I wanted to play cricket very badly, and that's what I did - I played cricket very badly.



What can politicians learn from cricket and cricketers?
The core lesson of pursuing individual excellence within the framework of a team game, and always putting your own talents at the service of the team's success.

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