Ravi Shastri to come out with book on his life in cricket

Team India coach Ravi Shastri will come out with a book this summer where he will walk down memory lane, offering a rare look at illustrious cricketers from across the globe, who have helped shape his career in cricket and beyond.

The book will be co-written by sports journalist Ayaz Memon and features illustrations by Shiva Rao, HarperCollins India announced about the acquisition on Sunday.

On this day 36 years ago, Shastri while playing for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy match against Baroda plundered six sixes in an over by Tilak Raj.

In the book, Shastri looks back on the extraordinary talent that he's encountered over the course of his career. He also shares never-before revealed anecdotes and insights.

"I've had the privilege to play against, watch as well as commentate and now coach, some of the greatest cricketers to ever walk out on the pitch. I'm very pleased to be sharing my stories, a glimpse into my exciting life involved with cricket," Shastri says.

According to senior commissioning editor at HarperCollins India, Sonal Nerurkar, "From Champion of Champions to one of the world's top cricket commentators to India's head coach, Ravi Shastri has an incomparable perspective when it comes to the game of cricket." Diya Kar, Publisher at HarperCollins India, says Shastri's "deep love for the game, his intimate accounts of the cricketers he's played with, and his sharp observations, make this slice of life a treasure".

Shastri made his Test cricket debut over four decades ago and played against and partnered legendary talents including Vivian Richards, Ian Botham, Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting, Muttiah Muralitharan, Imran Khan and Sachin Tendulkar to name a few.

From his vantage point in the commentator's box, and as Team India coach, he has watched the talents of Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli blossom.

We know what he said when Yuvraj Singh matched his record of six sixes, but how did he really feel about Yuvi laying claim to his title? What did he want to tell MS Dhoni, but didn't, when he announced his decision to retire? How does he separate his special bond with Virat Kohli and his role as coach? These are some of the questions Shastri will answer in the book.