Portrait of the game
First edition of Shyam Bhatia’s book ‘Portraits of the Game’ launched in South Africa
February 28, 2003
Shyam Bhatia’s book "Portraits of the Game '' could be written mainly because to Bhatia's closeness to many top cricketers and his interactions with them over the years. He had developed close relationships with many legends of the game and would often get the opportunity to listen to many stories during their playing days. From the days of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series in Shajrah, he used to host cricketers at his home in Dubai or meet them in different parts of the world given that he never missed top international matches.
During the World Cup 2003 in South Africa, at the launch event of his book that contained some of the great moments of the superstars in One-day cricket, Bhatia said: “This book is based on my close acquaintances with some of the top cricketers. I was fortunate to spend long hours with some of them, and I realized that some of them had fantastic tales to tell about their exploits in One-day matches. That was how this idea of coming up with a book based on their tales struck my mind. This book is my dedication to this great game.”
Dr Ali Bacher, Executive Director of ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, was the chief guest of this event held at The Centurion Lake Hotel in Pretoria. Bhatia had picked a special day for the release of the book since it was the day before the India-Pakistan World Cup match at the Centurion.
Incidentally, Bhatia’s first plan was to get 50 top players to speak about their great moments, but he ended up getting tales from 60 of them. This coffee table book with illustrations and sketches by renowned artist Richie Ryall won appreciation from everyone. Speaking after the release of the book, Ali Bacher said: “It is indeed a unique book, and I appreciate Bhatia's service to cricket by bringing out such an informative publication.”
Bhatia also noted that “It's a non-commercial book and only for private distribution to cricket clubs, schools, libraries, and friends.” He also revealed that he had declined offers from corporates to sponsor this book. Sunil Gavaskar has written the foreword for this book. For the first edition, 3000 copies were printed.
Bhatia also thanked all his cricket friends. “But for the help from some of the cricketers who have been very close to me, I would not have been able to bring out such a book. I do not want to sell it because I have no plans of earning money out of cricket. Instead, I enjoy promoting the game and also help cricket fans enjoy the game."
"I am happy at the response from a lot of my cricketing friends. Despite his tight schedule, I'm happy that Bacher attended this function," remarked Bhatia. The launch event was also attended by Sunil Gavaskar, Gerald Majola, UCB Chief Executive, and Qasim Noorani of Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, Raj Singh Dungarpur, former BCCI President and journalist Khalid Ansari.
Commenting on the book, Gavaskar said: “It is a great book from one of my old friends, and Bhatia has realized a dream by bringing out such an excellent book. He has been working hard on it for many years, meeting people and traveling around the world. His dedication and love towards the game are indeed splendid.” Ali Bacher, on behalf of the World Cup organizing committee, then honored Gavaskar by making him one of the ambassadors of the Cup and got him to wear the green jacket.
As an incentive for good performance in domestic cricket in the UAE, Bhatia has instituted the Dubai Cricket Council annual awards where he gives cash awards to all the top performers and umpires for the season.
Bhatia concluded by saying: “I thank everyone who has helped me in bringing out this book, especially journalist Kishore Bhimani, who wrote the book, and Richie Ryall for his illustrations. This book is a treasure of information on almost all the great cricketers.”
The tale of how the book was born
Bhatia talks about how idea of the book came about: “I had the idea to write a book on cricket, but I wasn't clear about the subject. I didn't want to merely compile scores and photographs into a book. Then the idea of a coffee table book came to my mind. I spoke to several senior journalists in Dubai and India, but none of them were willing to take up the challenge. Finally, I approached veteran journalist Kishore Bhimani and his wife Rita, and they agreed to take on the challenge."
“After some discussions, we decided to create a book focused on One Day International games since the 1975 World Cup, highlighting the best players in the game from 1975 to 2001. Kishore and I reached out to senior cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, Ravi Shastri, and Michael Holding, and together we selected 60 players to feature in the book. It was no easy task to secure interviews with each of these players, especially those from Pakistan and Australia. Although securing these interviews presented a significant challenge, with the help of many of my cricketing and non-cricketing friends, we managed to get them."
Bhatia then went on to discuss how the book was enriched with beautiful illustrations: “I had made up my mind not to include scores and photographs in the book. One day, I came across a book by Richie Ryall, in which he had created illustrations of South African players. I invited Richie to Dubai. After we played some golf together, upon returning to my office, I explained my vision for the book to him. We agreed tocollaborate, and once Kishore and Rita conducted the interviews with the players, those interviews were forwarded to Richie. He then created the illustrations based on the interviews.”
On how the book was named ‘Portraits of the Game’, Bhatia said: "Once the dummy book was ready, we began the search for a title. Some suggested titles like ‘One Day Greats’ and ‘One Day Kings,’ but none of them resonated with me. I consulted with
many people and even created a website for suggestions. Every day at the dining table, we discussed potential titles for the book. One day, my son Vikram's friend, Nadar, visited our home, and after reviewing the dummy, he remarked that there was not only cricket but also art in the book. He suggested the name 'Portraits of the Game,' and it immediately clicked with me."
Talking about the launch of the book, Bhatia said: "Since the World Cup was taking place in South Africa then, we aimed to launch the book there. Ali Bacher, the Executive Director of the World Cup 2023, had a question for me when Kishore and I met him. He wanted to know who I would be publishing the book for if since I didn't want to sell them. He was surprised to learn that I wanted to publish the book and distribute it for free. However, when I explained that the book was a labor of love for the game, he understood and extended his support. Consequently, the book was launched not only in South Africa but also in Dubai.”
Second edition of Portraits of the Game launched in 2008 with Imran Khan’s foreword
Encouraged by the tremendous response to the first edition of 'Portraits of the Game,' Shyam Bhatia released the second edition of this book. The first edition had generated $200,000, which Bhatia used to distribute cricket kits to underprivileged children through various cricket boards worldwide.
Bhatia organised a soft launch of the second edition in Singapore, where Standard Chartered Bank generously donated $20,000 for Bhatia's Cricket for Care venture. The book was unveiled by former Australian captain Greg Chappell at Singapore Cricket Club. Legendary Australian pacer Jeff Thomson attended the function.
In this new edition, Bhatia included 12 cricketers from the new generation who share their glorious moments. The foreword for the book was written by the legendary Imran Khan. Interestingly, Bhatia released the second edition shortly after sponsoring the domestic UAE four-nation tournament and presenting the annual Bhatia awards to outstanding cricketers.
Following the soft launch in Singapore, the book was officially released on June 28, 2009, in India, during the ICC World Twenty20 championship. The launch event was graced by cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Clive Lloyd, and Farokh Engineer. Also present were Rohit Walia - Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bank Sarasin-Alpen & Alpen Capital.
In his foreword for the second edition, Imran Khan wrote: "There are some unsung heroes who quietly contribute in their unique way. Shyam Bhatia, an old friend of mine, has put together a coffee table book featuring what he calls 'legends of the game.' The proceeds from the book will go to charities – and that's what makes this book so appealing." He added, "Only great souls understand the grandeur of charity."
Bhatia made sure that all proceeds from the book were directed towards "Cricket for Care," a project aimed at supporting aspiring cricketers who couldn't afford to play the game. Through this project, cricket equipment was distributed to players around the world. Bhatia expressed his delight, hoping that talented cricketers would benefit from the equipment and become outstanding players.
Elaborating on why he decided to bring out the second edition, Bhatia said, "Cricket, to me, is more than a game – it is a way of life. It has taught me three fundamental principles – discipline, fairness, and commitment. I've applied these qualities not only in my personal life but also in my business endeavors. This book is a small and humble way to acknowledge and perhaps repay my debt to the game that has given me so much."
Bhatia also took the opportunity to express gratitude to Abdulrehman Bukhatir, who brought international cricket to the UAE through Sharjah. He acknowledged Bukhatir's significant contribution in making instant cricket a resounding success in the region. Bhatia's book aimed to capture the dazzle, pulsating excitement, and the fantastic amphitheater of one-day cricket.
He then thanked writer Kishore Bhimani and South African artist Richie Ryall for their contributions to the second edition as well. All the book's illustrations were skillfully created by Richie Ryall, and Bhatia was thankful for his constant support, along with his wife Lee. Bhatia also acknowledged the dedication and perseverance of Rita and Kishore Bhimani in securing the interviews that made the book's stories possible. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to his wife Vimla, his children Vikram and Priya, Sunil Gavaskar, Raj Singh Dangarpur, for their enthusiastic support and involvement in this project.
Third edition of the ‘Portraits of the Game’ launched in 2013 with Kapil Dev’s foreword and anecdotes from new players
The third edition of 'Portraits of the Game' was launched in the presence of players from the Pakistan and Sri Lankan cricket teams at the Shyam Bhatia cricket museum on December 9, 2013. Both countries were engaged in a bilateral series in the UAE, and numerous legends from these countries graced the launch function.
David Richardson, Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), released the book, accompanied by Waleed Bukhatir of Emirates Cricket Board, cricket council officials, and representatives from sponsors Alpen Capital and Bank Sarasin-Alpen. The foreword for the third edition was penned by none other than Kapil Dev.
During the book's release, David Richardson expressed admiration for Bhatia's passion for the sport and praised him for promoting cricket through his initiatives. The success of the first edition, released in 2003, and the second edition in 2008, paved the way for the third edition's launch. Bhatia generously donated the proceeds from the book to the development of cricket worldwide and utilized the Cricket for Care Charity to provide cricket kits to underprivileged children.
In his foreword, Kapil Dev commended Bhatia's efforts to use the revenue from the book for the global development of cricket. He praised Bhatia's passion for the game and highlighted how the book allows readers to relive memorable experiences with the players while supporting the sport.
The third edition of the book features fascinating anecdotes from the careers of renowned cricketers such as AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Chris Gayle, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Hashim Amla, Lasith Malinga, Mahela Jayawardene, Saeed Ajmal, Shakib Al Hassan, Shane Watson, Yuvraj Singh, and Virat Kohli.
Bhatia expressed his delight with the collection of interviews in the third edition, particularly highlighting Chris Gayle's account of his unbeaten knock of 132 at Lord's in 2004 against England, which led West Indies to victory in the NatWest series. Gayle also shared the significance of wearing the number 333 on his shirt as a reminder of his remarkable Test innings of 333 at Galle.
Another thrilling addition to the book was Lasith Malinga, renowned for his lethal bowling. He discusses his memorable spell of five for 28 against Australia in the 2011 World Cup.
Yuvraj Singh, who has battled cancer, shared his dream of performing well against Australia in the World Cup through his outstanding performance during the 2011 tournament.
Tillakaratne Dilshan recounted his remarkable innings of 106 off 119 balls at Adelaide Oval in 2012, leading Sri Lanka to victory against Australia's challenging total of 271. An endearing anecdote in the book involved Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas, who bowled an extraordinary spell of eight for 19 against Zimbabwe on his wife's birthday, fulfilling her wish of a five-wicket haul.
“With anecdotes, I have always tried to make my books an enjoyable read,” said Bhatia.