I’ve absolutely loved this summer’s Test series between England and India. Not only has each match been must-watch, see-saw drama, it has also connected me even more with my IT colleagues in India. Since my last column on mentoring, it got me thinking more about personal development.

Indians are nuts about cricket. It’s as engrained into them as fish as chips and queueing is in us Brits. Cricket has become a special part of our company culture there. Last year, while visiting our office in Hyderabad, we had a game after work. When my turn came to bat, I limbered down the pitch to smash a delivery for six only for the handle to stay in my hands while the rest of my bat detached itself and flew somewhere roughly in the region of mid-on.

Naturally, everyone found this completely hilarious – an unintentional team-bonding moment in itself. But I saw the chance to take it further and TripStax invested in a bunch of new branded BOOM bats that have since become iconic and it’s seen as the ultimate accolade to be awarded one.

We have developed the after-work game as well, making a whole afternoon of it. And what I’m proudest of is that everyone joins in, including the women. At first most were spectators, pointing and laughing at the men from beyond the boundary, but now they are full participants in the action, and let me tell you – they give the gents a run for their money.

It does mean that we’ve ended up with a game that’s cricket, Jim, but not as we know it. When I say everyone joins in, I mean all at the same time, so we have a slightly chaotic version with up to 30 people on the pitch. And, unlike the normal game, which is played either with a red or white ball, this is “green ball” cricket. We use a tennis ball to make sure no one gets hurt.

As well as sport, food is another way to bring people together. Everyone brings in a dish to share, and prizes are awarded for categories like best starter, main and pudding.

I can’t stress enough how much goodwill you can build if you invest a little time, money and love in doing these simple activities that bind us together. I know it’s a cliché but it really is true that people who play together also work better together. If I ever need to ask colleagues to go the extra mile, I can be confident they will – not because they have to but because they want to. Now pass me my bat: I want to see if I can catch the selector’s eye for this winter’s Ashes in Australia.

Scott Wylie is Chief Technology Office at TripStax.