Inside Edge was one of the first Indian web series to capture the audience’s imagination. It mixed high-voltage cricket with behind-the-scenes dealings such as illegal betting and match-fixing. Arriving after a two-year break, the third season shifts the action to a historical test series between India and Pakistan, while a Shakesperean rivalry continues between two half-siblings, Vikrant Dhawan (Vivek Oberoi) and Bhaisaab (Aamir Bashir).
Reeling from the charges of match-fixing that saw the Mumbai Mavericks getting suspended from the PowerPlay T20 League, Mavericks co-owners Zarina Malik (Richa Chadda) and Mantra Patil (Sapna Pabbi) are grilled by the police to either confess to their crimes or finger someone else as the mastermind. On the other hand, Vayu Raghavan (Tanuj Virwani) is installed as the captain of the Indian test cricket team ahead of a momentous series against Pakistan. His sister, Rohini (Sayani Gupta) discovers clues about their biological dad, who was accused of match-fixing and later died in a mysterious plane crash.
The best thing about Inside Edge is how bingeable it is.
There’s enough drama and tension to keep you glued to the screen, although not all of it makes for quality television. The focus on cricket is almost as sparse this season as football is in Ted Lasso. One good thing the series does is it humanizes its antagonists, even though Vivek Oberoi does everything short of twirling his mustache to show how evil he is. The show also tackles LGBTQ themes with a closeted Indian cricketer (Akshay Oberoi) who eventually loses his boyfriend, Allen (Ankur Rathee) because of his inability to embrace all aspects of his being.
Still, the cricket scenes are enthralling, as long as you forget how cinematic the matches are.
At one point, the commentator exclaims “What drama this is! You couldn’t write it into a script!”, which could be seen as a clever nod towards the sheer drama of these matches. Not all characters get the appropriate time of development, but Vikrant and Bhaisaab are rounded out, as is Amit Sial’s Devinder Mishra. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see fan favorites like Arvind Vashishth and Prasanth Kanaujia, the latter of whom is explained away as playing in a foreign league.
The season ends with a cliffhanger that leaves Vayu’s fate hanging in the air, as well as an unexpected death that seemingly leaves Vikrant in an interesting position. This season apparently went through extensive reshoots, so it’s fortunate that it’s not a complete mess. At this point, it’s probably unreasonable to expect the show to grow into a show that can stay with you once you are done bingeing it, but unlikelier things have happened. As it stands, it’s entertaining, and almost a godsend for cricket fans, although it doesn’t dip into the sports as heavily as it could have.
