Vijay Lokapally – författare

Virat Kohli, the undisputed monarch of the cricket world today, is no stranger to loss. His biggest support both on and off the field-his father Prem Kohli-succumbed to a cerebral stroke when Virat was only 18 years old. In a fitting tribute that would''ve made his father proud, Virat returned to the field to continue an innings just a few hours after his father passed away. In Driven, Vijay Lokapally recounts happier times in the journey of Virat''s rapid rise to international stardom-an account punctuated with little-known stories from fellow players, coaches, and intimates. Virat is already the recipient of countless accolades including the Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri, India''s highest sporting honour-Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the title of BCCI''s ''International Cricketer of the Year'' as well as the ICC''s ''ODI Cricketer of the Decade''. But for him, it''s not about the fame or the money, or the roar of the crowds. Few know of his altruistic nature and his dedication to numerous charities for underprivileged children. What has not escaped the public eye though, is how this wizard of the willow wears his heavy mantle with such insouciant ease. In this revised and updated World Cup edition, readers can now delve deeper into Virat Kohli''s cricketing journey with two new chapters, including one dedicated to his performance in the World Cups. Additionally, this edition features new images that offer a visual insight into his career, and an entertaining statistics section that provides fascinating cricketing statistics and records.

In Shuttle Tales journey through the heart of a sport that forged legends and weathered neglect. Through interviews with past badminton greats, the authors unveil untold stories of unwavering dedication and unyielding commitment. These players, torchbearers of a bygone era, laid the bedrock for today''s champions, leaving an indelible mark on Indian badminton.Discover the geniuses, the steadfast, and the fearless who challenged the status quo. In the backdrop of the sport''s surge in the ''70s and ''80s, these narratives, once muted, resurface with vitality, echoing the essence of an era. Amidst the clamour for glamorous tales, these chronicles stand tall, authentic and rooted.In In Shuttle Tales the pulse of badminton beats with every turn of the page, reminding us that greatness is just a shuttle away.

What makes Virat Kohli the undisputed monarch of the cricket world today is not his iconic status in the sports hierarchy but that the highest praise comes from the opposition camp and past greats.However, his family didn''t always have it good. No stranger to loss, Kohli''s biggest support both on and off the field – his father, succumbed to a cerebral stroke when he was very young. In a fitting tribute that would''ve made his old man proud, Kohli returned to continue an innings just a few hours after his father passed away. ''He was the one who drove me to practice every day,'' the captain of the Indian Test team recalls with characteristic humility and grace. Widely travelled sports journalist Vijay Lokapally goes on to recount happier times on the journey of Virat''s rapid rise to international stardom, an account punctuated with little-known stories by his fellow players, coaches and intimates. At 27, he has already been the recipient of countless accolades including the Arjuna Award, the title of BCCI''s ''international cricketer of the Year'' as well as the ICC''s ''ODI Player of the Year'', but for Kohli it''s not about the money or the fame, or the roar of the crowds or the flattering attention from women of all ages. Few know of his altruistic nature and his dedication to numerous charities for under-privileged children. What has not escaped the public eye though, is how this wizard of the willow wears his heavy mantle with such insouciant ease.

Indian cricket was traditionally known for its spin bowling. All that changed with the advent of the magnificent Kapil Dev in 1978. The floodgates really opened in the new millennium with Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan leading a revolution that today sees India''s pace attack as among the best in the world. But how many know that from the late 19th century right till the 1940s it was fast bowlers that shaped the early years of Indian cricket? From Pavri and Bulsara to Nissar and Amar Singh, batsmen from around the world found Indian pace bowling too hot to handle.

The stage is set! The ICC Cricket World Cup-the tournament and trophy which every international player hopes to win and which cricket fans dream their country to hold one day-is here. With all the ten nations having named their squads, this book bursts with information about everything you need to know about ourBoys in Blue, who are most likely to light up the tournament with their skill and talent.As the teams prepare to join the hosts, England and Wales, for cricket''s biggest bash and to loosen the grip of the defending champion, Australia, on the coveted trophy, veteran sports journalist Vijay Lokapally gives us a peek into India''s squad with a twist.In a first of its kind, celebrated former cricketers Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Sandeep Patil, K Srikkanth, Yashpal Sharma, Kirti Azad, Balvinder Sandhu, among the players who beat the then invincible West Indies in 1983 to win the Prudential World Cup at Lord''s, speak about their counterparts in the current Indian line-up.Views and commentaries from L Sivaramakrishnan, Venkatapathy Raju, Kiran More, Robin Singh, VenkateshPrasad, Manoj Prabhakar, Nayan Mongia and Piyush Chawla, all former World Cup stars, make this a unique and valuable narrative.

From his cricket debuts in 2007 and 2013 respectively, Rohit Gurunath Sharma has grown to be one of the vital pillars of the Indian cricket team. A modern-day entertainer who refused to compromise his approach to batting, his contribution to India''s domination in one-day cricket and victories in the Premier League is indisputable. This is the story of his journey, of the years of hard work and the confidence that has allowed him to keep his place in the team--and his amazing capacity to come up with big scores. His combination of aggression and caution, his lazy elegance and his deadly shots have brought a whiff of fresh air to the cricket field.The Hitman is the riveting account of a batsman, who has always chosen to play on his own terms, from two of India''s best-known cricket writers, Vijay Lokapally and G. Krishnan.