Book excerpt: It's the year 2000. In the month of April, the Delhi Police charge South African cricket team captain Hansie Cronje with match fixing, implicating the Indian team with him. The two devastating words shatter the love, respect and the trust Indian fans have in the beautiful game and its players. Cricket becomes the subject of ridicule and mockery. Four great men - Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Anil Kumble - led by the enigmatic Sourav Ganguly, accept the challenge to repair the tarnished image of Indian cricket. Will India's new captain bring back the charm and respect to India's first love? Who will take up Ganguly's mantle? It Wasn't a Waste of Time - The Story of the Most Important Decade in Indian Cricket is the story of an emotional journey Indian fans underwent in the first decade of the new millennium. It outlines the most important events, matches and series India participated in, and their impact on Indian cricket itself.