The latest edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, set for publication, delivers a scathing critique of India’s burgeoning influence over the global game, describing its governance as “Orwellian.” The esteemed annual publication argues that cricket’s traditional role as a “refuge from realpolitik” has been compromised by the sport’s increasing politicization under India’s sway.
Cricket as a Geopolitical Tool
In his “Notes by the Editor” for the 163rd edition, Lawrence Booth asserts that cricket has become a significant piece on the “BJP’s geopolitical chessboard.” He questioned the sincerity of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s statement that “politics and sport can’t go together,” given Naqvi also serves as his country’s interior minister.
The Asia Cup Controversy
Booth pointed to the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup, held in the UAE, as a stark illustration of this politicization. The tournament, he noted, “descended into tit-for-tat farce.” He highlighted the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, marking their first encounter on the field since “Operation Sindoor” following the Pahalgam massacre. After India’s victory, players reportedly made “tasteless gestures about fighter planes,” and the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi.
The editor emphasized that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had long acted as a “sporting adjunct of India’s ruling BJP.” This relationship, he argued, became explicit when India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated one of his side’s Asia Cup wins over Pakistan to the armed forces. Booth concluded that the equation of a T20 game with the real-world “Operation Sindoor,” which had resulted in numerous fatalities, hammered home the idea that cricket was now a legitimate proxy for more lethal activity.
Consequences of Indian Exceptionalism
Booth expressed regret that the sport’s governance “grows ever more Orwellian,” by pretending that “Indian exceptionalism comes without consequence.” He further cited the decision by the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman as additional evidence of cricket’s decline into the hands of its political masters.