In Shizuoka, where Mount Fuji looms majestically, manga artist Kiyomi Koizumi has carved a unique niche by creating the world’s first cricket manga, Bhagavat Crease. “I like Mohammed Siraj’s nickname, ‘Lionhearted Siraj.’ He’s humble and embodies the spirit of cricket,” Koizumi said, messaging via a Japanese-to-English translator after India’s thrilling six-run victory at the Oval cricket ground in England earlier this month. A fan of Indian cricket, Koizumi follows stars like Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja, despite cricket’s limited popularity in Japan, where it’s known as “Kuriketto”.

Koizumi’s Bhagavat Crease, first published in India in 2013 with a sequel in 2018, blends cricket with Indian mythology. The story follows Amir, a nine-year-old Muslim boy and incarnation of Lord Vishnu, raised by Patrick, a retired Indian Premier League (IPL) player turned sage. “I was the first Japanese person to draw a cricket manga. There was no precedent, so it was challenging,” Koizumi shared.

Cover art from the manga