Includes bibliographical references and index

The thrill of close-in catching -- The lesser known facets of Kapil’s brilliance -- Fab Four: once in a lifetime lineup -- Men like Dravid: trust them with your life -- Rolls Royce and other terrors: right-arm fast -- The magic of leg spin -- First-class cricket: lifeblood of the game -- Worrell, Brearley and other great captains -- Big hitting is not new: ask Trumper and Jessop -- Leg before wicket: the changing paradigm -- An evening with Salim Durani -- A special place in our hearts: the right-hand stylists -- Left-arm spin: its place in cricket history -- Nurturing new batsmen: look for early signs of greatness -- Left-arm fast: just a few pearls -- 600 sit-ups a day: the wicket keepers -- All about opening batsmen -- The chinaman and mystery bowler -- Every form of spin: that’s India -- Nobility and courage: the very spirit of the game -- The sublime left handers -- Neil Harvey: every left hander’s idol -- For an even game between bat and ball -- Prasanna, Laker and the tribe of off spinners -- Rubbing shoulders with the best: stories from Madras and Bombay League -- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar: carrying a billion hopes.