A Colonel Destined to Lead
Martin Chandler |Published: 2024
Pages: 161
Author: Bhushan, Aditya
Publisher: Storymirror
Rating: 4 stars
Back in 2017 Aditya Bhushan published the first edition of this book, a biography of the legendary Indian batsman CK Nayudu. It took me a while to get round to reviewing that one, but reading Aditya’s second book, Fortune Turners, persuaded me to do so and it was certainly a worthwhile read, my review being posted in 2020 here.
Since then Aditya has written a biography of Anshuman Gaekwad, and after that I was much looking forward to whatever his next project would be, and indeed I still am but, in the meantime Aditya has published a second edition of A Colonel Destined to Lead.
Second editions of biographies are unusual but, substantially larger than the first edition, this one is a true second edition rather than an update, albeit the supplementary material in the main covers two particular subjects, the Test series between India and England in 1933/34 and 1936.
In the circumstances I am slightly surprised that the second edition does not have a completely different cover, but having said that there are differences. This one is a hardback rather than a paperback, has a ribbon marker and also has some additional images, and this time all the illustrations are on better quality paper than in the first edition.
But despite the cosmetic improvements the real test of this one is the quality of the additional material and what that brings to the story. Inevitably in terms of cricketing content it adds a great deal, given that the two tours concerned are amongst the least chronicled of the twentieth century.
The 1933/34 series was the first to be played in India, and Nayudu’s opposing captain was Douglas Jardine. A good deal of interesting detail emerges, not least amongst that an aspect of the Iron Duke’s character that it would be interesting to know the opinions of Alex Carey and Pat Cummins on.
Moving on to 1936 this was the tour where the Maharajah of Vizianagram, not much more than a club player, was India’s captain and, not content with weakening the Test side by playing, ‘Vizzy’ sought to undermine Nayudu at every available opportunity. Caught in the crossfire star all-rounder Lala Amarnath ended up being sent home.
As I said in my review of the first edition the 1936 tour deserves a book to itself, but the chapter in this edition is certainly one to whet the appetite and, quite properly concentrating on Nayudu’s tour, does all that can be expected of it.
Given that Aditya has addressed such concerns that I did have about the first edition of A Colonel Destined to Lead I have little choice but to describe this one as a significant upgrade to the first edition
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