One Day Wonders is a book written by Sunil Gavaskar on the Indian team’s tour to Australia to play the Benson And Hedges Series.The book is not only about on field action but it covers several events leading to and after the series.
It is indeed a wonder of Gavaskar’s writing style that you will read this book again and again and not get bored.You get involved with the book as you start reading it. The author puts forward several issues before the readers such as yellow journalism by the press trying to show rift in the side. He points out that how when cricket teams from other countries visit us our customs officials give them special treatment and collect their passports first while when our cricketers go to other countries they have to wait in queue like other passengers to complete customs formalities. There are several other issues which are discussed in this book and which shall hold the reader’s interest.
The book is also full of amusing incidents on and off the field. Gavaskar describes how the keeper of the side Sadanand Vishvanath used to eat his cheese with cellophane wrapper on. There is another strange incident which I would like to bring to the notice of the readers. In a match against the New Zealand, during the slog overs, a batsman skied the ball in the air. What should have been an easy catch was dropped by Srikkanth.
Of the very next ball the same thing happened. An angry Gavaskar, who was the captain in that series, moved Srikkanth to just the opposite part of the field. Off the next ball the batsman again skied the ball, the ball again went where Srikkanth was standing and he finally caught it.
The book is a must read for the members of our current Indian cricket team. Gavaskar describes the spirit of teamsmanship.In his own words ’’ where one fell short the other would cover up’’. This is what our team today needs the most. Gavaskar describes an incident where Kapil had picked up 3 wickets from 6 overs.Gavaskar gave him one more over to see if he could pick up another wicket. Unfortunately Kapil went wicketless. However, Madan Lal covered up for Kapil Dev by picking up a wicket in the next over.
The book concludes with the final of the Sharjah Champions Trophy Final held in 1985. In the final India were bowled out for just 126, with Imran Khan picking up 6 wickets for 14 runs. Before Indian team went out to field, the captain Kapil Dev said ’’ Let’s go out and make them fight’’. The Pakistani team was shot out by Indians for 87 runs.
The book grips the reader because of its writing style and the reader feels involved with every incident. The camaraderie within the team, the team spirit and the extra effort to cover up for the other player all led to the 1985 B&H series success. The book is readable by present day cricketers and also those who plan to make cricket as their career. The book is a guide on how the game should be played with team spirit.
Highly Recommened.