From Bedi to Kohli: a cricket writer's journey - interview with Vijay Lokapally

In this special episode, we chat with the deputy editor at The Hindu, Vijay Lokapally.

In his career spanning close to four decades, Vijay has had a ringside view of Indian cricket and written about the team and its performances from around the world. Long-time readers of The Hindu and Sportstar would have many fond memories from Vijay's reports and tour diaries, which he infuses with keen insights as well as his signature brand of humour.

We chat with Vijay about his illustrious career – from covering his first Test for a children's magazine, tracking Delhi's Ranji team in the '80s, and spotting a young Waqar Younis in the same game as Imran Khan did… to being present at so many historic moments in Indian cricket and establishing himself as one of the leading lights in the field.

Talking Points:

• His piece on Bishan Singh Bedi that got him his first break


• The characters in Delhi cricket in the 1980s


• His memories of Raman Lamba


• The world of cricket journalism in the 1980s


• Telegrams and trunk calls


• The 1992-93 tour to South Africa - their first home series after readmission


• The 1997 tour to West Indies


• How the player-journalist relationship has changed over time


• The challenges of writing on match-fixing


• VVS Laxman's 281


• The thrill of Virender Sehwag


• Observing a young Virat Kohli


• And much, much more

Participants:

Vijay Lokapally (@vijaylokapally)

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

Ashoka (@ABVan)

Related:

Driven: The Virat Kohli Story - By Vijay Lokapally

The Virender Sehwag Story - By Vijay Lokapally

Not Quite Cricket - Pradeep Magazine's book on match-fixing

Obituary of Peter Roebuck - By Vijay Lokapally

How a photojournalist of The Hindu cooked for team India - By Vijay Lokapally

A recent Sunil Gavaskar interview - by Vijay Lokapally

A recent Kapil Dev interview - By Vijay Lokapally