About the Book

Book: FEARLESS – A Memoir Mohinder Amarnath with Rajinder Amarnath

Publisher: Harper Collins

Price: Rs 799

Well done, Jimmy! You should write more about the game because there’s a wealth of material cricket fans would love to read

The game of cricket remains a mystery to me even in the autumn of life. My first encounter with it occurred in the 1960s when I witnessed this strange game being played at a maidan in Fort Kochi, where our teachers had taken us for a day-long excursion. The picturesque maidan had two screens made of white cloth stretched across the ends, while 'gentlemen' in white trousers and shirts played the game with bats and a ball. Sreedharan Pillai, the teacher who accompanied us, told me that it was 'cricket', a game played by royalty.

Months later, I came across this game again at my school in Perumbavoor, where the royalty had assembled to play cricket. They arrived in cars such as Herald, Fiat, Vanguards, Chevrolet, and the occasional Ambassadors. One of the spectators told me that the players were from Kannan Devan Tea Estates in Munnar and shipping agents based in Kochi. Since I couldn't grasp the nuances of the game, I asked my classmate Sundararajan, son of a senior manager at Travancore Rayons, who often spoke of Pataudi, Sarbadhikari, and others. "You will not understand this game because it's played by educated and wealthy people," Sundararajan told me.

In every place, there are those who are considered masters of all topics. We had Gopalakrishnan, the local tailor, who was an encyclopedia of knowledge. There was nothing he didn’t know. "Arrey, you will not understand it. It's a game played by officials like engineers, adhikaris, contractors, sarvadhikaris, and vakeels," Gopal Ji ticked me off. It was years later that I heard names like Farook Engineer, Nari Contractor, Hemu Adhikari, Berry Sarvadhikari, and the occasional Smiths and Tailors who toured India!

Cricket got a major boost in 1983 when India won the World Cup in England under the captaincy of Kapil Dev, the Haryana Hurricane. Alongside him, another player emerged as the darling of the masses: the unassuming Mohinder Amarnath, whose stellar performance with both bat and ball led India to triumph. Before the World Cup, Mohinder had already earned a reputation as a fantastic all-rounder, particularly in the 1977-1978 series in Australia, which is often remembered as the 'Mohinder Amarnath series.'

It’s shocking that such a brilliant cricketer had to spend many years in the wilderness due to the callous attitude of Indian selectors, who overlooked him despite his exceptional performances. Though he played against the touring Australian side in 1969, he was sidelined for years. The reason for this remains a mystery.

After three decades of first-class cricket, Mohinder penned his memoirs, FEARLESS, with his younger sibling Rajinder. The three sons of legendary Lala Amarnath—Surinder, Mohinder, and Rajinder—had made their father proud with their performances, though Rajinder never made it to the national side. Despite being born to a legendary father, Mohinder had no godfathers in the game. His memoirs detail the trials he faced. He doesn’t blame anyone in particular but does highlight how the Delhi District Cricket Association’s actions kept him from the national team. Mohinder attributes this to the authorities’ potential frustration with his outspoken father, Lala Amarnath, who didn’t hesitate to speak his mind.

FEARLESS is more than just a memoir; it offers valuable lessons for aspiring cricketers. Life wasn’t easy for Mohinder, despite having a father who was a flamboyant cricketer. Critics consider Mohinder the best Indian batsman against fast bowling. Indian players, barring a few like Farook Engineer and Viswanath, often collapsed against pace bowlers. Had Mohinder been included in the team, the outcomes would likely have been different.

An interesting anecdote from Mohinder’s memoir involves the 1978 Pakistan tour. In the midst of a contentious series, Asif Iqbal, the Pakistani all-rounder, approached the Indian team with an offer from Kerry Packer, the founder of World Series Cricket. Iqbal, eager to distract the Indians, sent a WSC representative with a lucrative offer, but despite Mohinder’s signed contract, nothing came of it. Mohinder describes it as a strategic move to disrupt their focus before a crucial Test match.

The chapter on the 1983 World Cup transports readers back in time, immersing them in the spirit of the game. There are many cricketer memoirs, but FEARLESS stands out as monumental. The book captures the sweat and blood of Mohinder and Surinder (who was also dropped despite impressive performances).

The discrimination faced by northern players at the hands of the western zone selectors is another compelling aspect of FEARLESS. Indian sportsmen, unlike their cricketer counterparts, have largely avoided writing memoirs. Footballers like Inder Singh and Magan Singh should follow suit, inspiring the next generation to take up the game. Cricket fans will find FEARLESS a must-read. The book is as simple and straightforward as its protagonist, Mohinder Amarnath.