“The story of Indian cricket is not only about cohesion and success. It is also deeply pathetic,” James Astill, former South Asia bureau chief of The Economist newspaper, writes in the introduction to his new book, “The Great Tamasha.”



Mr. Astill, a New Delhi resident from 2007 to 2010, loves cricket. He is both enchanted and frustrated by the role the sport plays in India. He admires the skill and passion for cricket in the country, but laments the lack of opportunity granted to a population obsessed with the sport. This is the “deeply pathetic” part.

“The poor children playing in India’s streets and parks have almost no chance of emulating their heroes and representing India. They are unlikely even to play an organized version of the game, with a good bat and leather ball. That is because real cricket, as opposed to street games, is dominated by members of a privileged middle-class,” Mr. Astill writes.

The Great Tamasha is a meticulous and engaging study of cricket in India, starting with a look at the history of the game in the country, including the central role the Parsi community had in taking up and spreading a sport beloved by the British rulers.

After bringing great characters of the sport to life, Mr. Astill’s book moves on to the administration of cricket in India. He distrusts the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India, describing it as “an unappealing custodian of the game.” Finally he looks at the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 tournament that began in 2008, during Mr. Astill’s time here. He says the IPL has changed India and cricket forever.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal’s India Real Time, Mr. Astill gave his views on Indian cricket and looked back on memorable moments from his research, including a lunch with Kapil Dev, former Indian cricket captain, and some famous friends of his. Edited excerpts: