7 Best cricket analysis books to get a strong grip of the game

“Books are a man’s best friend”. They don’t complain & never leave your side even in your darkest hours.

Nonetheless, Books are a great tool for acquiring knowledge & learning from the mistakes of people.

After all, this lifetime is too short to only learn from the mistakes you make on your own.

The same is true in all walks of life and cricket analysis is no different. 

If you are looking to become an expert cricket analyst then having a helpful book on your side is crucial. 

So let’s dive into the 7 Best books on Cricket Analysis which can help you in getting a better hold on this field. 

7 Best books on cricket analysis

Here’s a list of the 7 Best books on cricket analysis:

• Cricket Analytics with Cricketr by Tinniam V. Ganesh
• Cricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution by Tim Wigmore & Freddie Wilde
• The Three Ws of West Indian Cricket: A Comparative Batting Analysis by Keith A. P. Sandiford & Arjun Tan
• The umpire’s story: with an analysis of the laws of cricket by Lou Rowan
• Nation at Play – A History of Sport in India (Contemporary Asia in the World) by Ronojoy Sen
• Hitting Against the Spin: How Cricket Really Works by Nathan Leamon & Ben Jones
• The Science of Cricket: Insight of Internal Technical Facets of Cricket by K N Chauhan

Without further ado, let us understand what makes these books worth it!

1. Cricket Analytics with Cricketr by Tinniam V. Ganesh

The Book has broken down the Analysis of top Cricket players around the world based on Cricinfo, ESPN & Statsguru in all formats of Cricket.

The book offers technical knowledge about the use of R & Python in Cricket Analytics.

The Book is currently ranked:

#320 in Cricket (Kindle Store)

#814 in Cricket (Books)

The Book is currently available on Amazon for:

• Rs 380

2. Cricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution by Tim Wigmore & Freddie Wilde

The book won the “Wisden Book of the Year” in 2022 & was the winner of the Telegraph Books Award in 2022.

Tim Wigmore & Freddie Wilde showcase how cricket has changed both on and off the field by using interviews with the top players like Jos Buttler, Ricky Ponting & Rashid Khan.

The story of T20 Cricket is explained in the book with absolute clarity and insights, the effect of T20 on cricket and how it’s shaping the future of Cricket.

Reviews:

‘The first essential study of the T20 game, studded with analysis and big-name interviewees’

-Wisden

‘Wigmore and Wilde take us on an absorbing ride . . . well written, some of their revelations come with the startling force of unexpected thunder on a still night’

–Suresh Menon ― The Hindu

‘A lucid and thoughtful guide to the T20 phenomenon’

–The New Statesman

3. The Three Ws of West Indian Cricket: A Comparative Batting Analysis by Keith A. P. Sandiford & Arjun Tan

The Book takes you on a Journey of the three Ws of the West Indian Cricket: Worrell, Weekes & Walcott.

The three were born within 17 months of each other and within a square mile in Barbados, They grew up to form the best middle order in Test Cricket History.

Even their batting styles were so similar that they defied the statistical odds. The book features statistical knowledge and is the go-to book for anyone looking for statistical knowledge in cricket.

Customer Review:

‘Pencil sketches of the 3W’s, without a great deal of detail of their lives, but with tables of comparisons on nearly every page showing their comparative stats on a series by series basis.’

4. The umpire’s story: with an analysis of the laws of cricket by Lou Rowan

Lou Rowan was a first-class cricket umpire for a good period of 13 years.

The book features his provocative analysis of the Cricket Laws as he witnessed some of the most discussed events in the history of Cricket.

The book is a must-read for Cricket fanatics who want to explore it from an umpire’s point of view.

 

5. Nation at Play – A History of Sport in India (Contemporary Asia in the World) by Ronojoy Sen

In this book, Ronojoy Sen takes an ancient approach to explain the history of sports in India.

He also goes in chronological order in how many Indian-originated sports succumbed to the popularity of sports like cricket & how a nation of a billion strong isn’t performing as it should on the international level such as the Olympics.

Customer Review:

‘An excellent book for someone interested in the history of sports. Very well researched and equally well documented.’

6. Hitting Against the Spin: How Cricket Really Works by Nathan Leamon & Ben Jones

The book covers various statistical facts about cricket which were hard to answer 15 years ago.

The book features how Data has changed everything and keeping a track of the performance of individual players & teams. They show how every little element of the cricket match from the toss to the ball impacts the end result of the game.

Reviews:

‘Fascinating and insightful . . . lifts the curtain to reveal the inner workings of international cricket. A must-read for any cricketer, coach or fan’ 

–Eoin Morgan

‘This path-breaking book should be compulsory reading for commentators and captains – and all cricket fans’ 

–Mervyn King

‘Clever and original but also wise’ 

–Ed Smith

7. The Science of Cricket: Insight of Internal Technical Facets of Cricket by K N Chauhan

Just as the name suggests the book covers the various Technical aspects of Cricket that any ordinary cricket fan is unaware of.

The book features the Technical analytics of both Batting & Bowling and offers in-depth knowledge about all aspects of Cricket.

Customer Review:

‘Simply world best cricketing knowledge beyond anyone’s imagination. If you want to know the true essence of cricket and you are a cricketer,then go for it. Best for international cricketers and coaches.’

Conclusion

Books are a man’s best friend as they’re the guide whenever you want to learn something.

The world of cricket is huge with a rich history dating back to the 18th century.

As the world around us is evolving with the help of Data, so is Cricket. Cricket Data Analysts can now measure up to every millimetre of where the balls land and how it swings.

The above-mentioned books could act as a career guide for you if you wish to pursue your career in Cricket. 

If books aren’t for you, I’d recommend you to join our 2-day live workshop on cricket analysis & kickstart your career in Cricket Analytics.

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