Summary

The novel opens with a short prologue in which Manju, as an infant, is exploring his surroundings by tasting things. His father, however, arrives and stops him. The main part of the novel begins when Radha and Manju are in their early teens. Pramod Sawant, a cricket coach with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), is speaking with an MCA talent scout called Tommy Sir. Pramod tells Tommy Sir that he has found two very talented young cricket players, Radha Krishna Kumar and his younger brother, Manjunath “Manju” Kumar. The next day, Pramod finds Manju practicing cricket against boys who are making fun of Manju’s father, a chutney salesman. Pramod tells Manju that he and his brother should report to the Mumbai Cricket Association because a talent scout is interested in seeing them.

In the next section of the novel, the narrative then...