| Mumbai, January 3 2006 – CricInfo, the world’s
best-known name in online cricket publishing, is venturing into print
with the launch of Cricinfo Magazine, a monthly title that will hit
the newsstands tomorrow – January 4th 2006. Primarily aimed at
an Indian readership – both in India and overseas – Cricinfo
Magazine is published by the Infomedia group, India’s dominant
publisher of special-interest magazines and business directories,
under a license agreement with the Wisden Group.
The first issue runs to 124-pages, with a special 32-page preview
supplement on the eagerly anticipated India-Pakistan series. Cover
features include a wide-ranging conversation with Indian captain
Rahul Dravid, who shares his vision for Indian cricket, and national
coach Greg Chappell talking about his methods.
There’s a special 20-page feature on fast bowling down the
years, where the likes of Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Wes Hall, Shoaib
Akhtar, Javagal Srinath, John Snow and Andy Roberts talk about their
craft.
The lead-up to the Pakistan series features an analysis of how
Pakistan have grown as a team in the recent past, and an exclusive
interview with the team’s coach, Bob Woolmer.
Other features include interviews with Chaminda Vaas, Ian Healy
and Virender Sehwag, a look back at one of Garry Sobers’s classic
innings, and a critique of the world of the cricket autobiography
in the light of Steve Waugh’s memoirs.
The magazine is a five-course affair. ‘Shots of the Month’
offers a selection of the best photographs from the month gone by.
‘The Score’ features short interviews (the inaugural issue
has Simon Taufel and Dwayne Bravo), columns, quotes, stats, trivia,
offbeat pieces, and humour. The mid-section presents essays, long
interviews, profiles and other features. ‘Replay’ revisits
the previous month’s on-field action, with an emphasis on the
bigger picture rather than rote match reports. And ‘Pavilion’
serves up a palette of reflective articles, reviews and other features
that capture the beauty and romance of the game.
Cricinfo Magazine is edited by Sambit Bal and produced by the editorial
team behind Wisden Asia Cricket. The new magazine is priced at Rs.
40 and, while retaining the core values of its admired predecessor,
will contain more pages and additional features. Regular contributors
include Harsha Bhogle, Sanjay Manjrekar, Mukul Kesavan, Peter Roebuck
and Gideon Haigh.
“Cricinfo Magazine will share the values that have made the
website so successful,” Tom Gleeson, CEO of the Wisden Group
said, “but it will also enable us to showcase the finest cricket
writing and photography in the best possible format.”
Prakash Iyer, MD, Infomedia India, said: “Cricket is India's
number one passion, and given that there is no specialist magazine
of real quality in India catering to cricket lovers, we are looking
to fill the void with Cricinfo Magazine.”
“The world's largest and most passionate cricket audience
deserves a truly world-class magazine. We will ensure that Cricinfo
Magazine becomes the Indian fan's can't-put-down-companion”,
he added.
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