Assam’s char-chapori cricket: the sandbar leagues that outdraw the stadium

When the Brahmaputra retreats in winter, the sandbars of Dhubri district turn into cricket grounds — and the char-chapori leagues become the biggest show on the river.

Teams walk across sandbanks to play, umpires row between islands, and crowds in the thousands line the banks.

The leagues have produced players who reached the Ranji Trophy, and a dream that is passed down with every rolling season.