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'''''A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport''''' is a 2002 book by Indian historian [[Ramachandra Guha]] that offers a historical account of [[cricket]] in the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/09/22/stories/2002092200010500.htm |title=Rewriting cricket's history |last=Padmanabhan |first=Mukund |date=22 September 2002 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=17 July 2018}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/may/03/featuresreviews.guardianreview5 |title=Review: A Corner of a Foreign Field by Ramachandra Guha |last=Lezard |first=Nicholas |date=3 May 2003 |access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref> Some critics have called it one of the finest books on cricket.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/23/top-10-books-about-cricket |title=Top 10 books about cricket |last=Kynaston |first=David |date=23 May 2018 |access-date=17 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/585639.html |title=Which are the finest cricket books? |date=5 November 2012 |website=Cricinfo |access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref>

== Background ==
The book was initially conceived as a biography of left-arm spinner [[Palwankar Baloo]]. Baloo was a [[Dalit]], a community that has historically been subjected to [[untouchability]] under the [[Caste system in India|Indian caste system]]. His cricketing feats, however, enabled him to overcome contemporary Indian social barriers associated with being a Dalit.<ref name="Haigh">{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/343290.html |title=A cricket history of India |last=Haigh |first=Gideon |date=17 May 2008 |website=Cricinfo |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref> As Guha explored Baloo's story further, the book expanded to become a social history of cricket in India.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/391736.html |title=One writer, many hats |last=Menon |first=Suresh |date=22 February 2009 |website=Cricinfo |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref> On the subject of the book, Guha has written, "The making of modern India is its theme, with cricket serving merely as a vehicle, as my chief source of illustrative example."<ref name="Haigh"/>

== Editions ==
An early edition cover featured a picture of author [[R. K. Narayan|R.K. Narayan]] playing cricket with his nephews and niece.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Layout/Includes/CREST/ArtWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=CREST&BaseHref=TCRM%2F2010%2F10%2F23&ViewMode=HTML&EntityId=Ar00300&AppName=1 |title=Malgudi's Sachin is 75 |last=Kodkani |first=Jayanth |work=Times of India |access-date=17 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Satyan |first=T.S.  |title=Walking with R.K. Narayan  |url=https://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1914/19140670.htm |magazine=Frontline |edition=July 06–19, 2002 |volume=19 |issue=14 |access-date=18 July 2018 |quote=I photographed him at work, with members of his family, listening to his daughter - Hema playing on the veena and more important - playing cricket with his nephews Thumbi and Nokki and niece Shanta.}}</ref>

== References == 
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[[Category:Indian non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Cricket books]]
[[Category:2002 non-fiction books]]


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