Indian Cricket Team Profile

The Indian Cricket Team is the official cricket team of India. Cricket is not just a game but a religion in India, with millions of Indian fans at home and abroad praying for the success of the Indian Cricket Team. The Indian Cricket Team is one of the strongest and most challenging cricket teams in the world, rated at par with teams like Australia, South Africa, England and Pakistan. The Indian cricket team is the highest paid (in terms of sponsorships) sports team in the world.

India has produced several outstanding cricketers of the world, who have become legends of the game itself. Among Indian cricketing legends include the names of players like Vijay Merchant, CK Naidu, Lala Amarnath, Erapalli Prasanna, Vinoo Mankad, Farokh Engineer, BS Chandrasekhar, Bishen Singh Bedi, Gundappa Viswanath, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Mohammed Azharuddin, Anil Kumble, and the world's most popular living cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who's also a part of the India's ICC World Cup 2007 squad.

The India Cricket Team has participated in all the ICC Cricket World Cups since 1975. India won the 1983 World Cup, beating the then World Champions West Indies in a low socring final match. The team reached to the World Cup semi-finals in 1987 and 1996, and were runners-up in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa. The India cricket team has been rated as one of the favorite contenders to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies. India is placed in Group B of the ICC World Cup 2007 groupings, along with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bermuda. The team will start its World Cup 2007 campaign against Bangladesh on March 17, 2007 in Trinidad and Tobago.

sourcehttp://www.travour.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2007-west-indies/cricket-world-cup-teams/india-cricket-team-profile.html

How India won the World Cup in 1983

A rare interview with Kapil Dev after India's World Cup victory

In this rare interview India's legendary captain Kapil Dev talks about how India progressed to World Cup victory in 1983. The interview was done by BBC's veteran broadcaster Krishna Gould. India gave a hint of determination by winning its first match against West Indies at Old Trafford. Kapil Dev says from that moment he was sure of reaching the semi-finals. He says victory in the finals was a joint team effort. In the match Kapil took a dramatic catch of Viv Richards that changed the course of the match. Richards later said about this catch: "Kapil changed everything with one brilliant catch... I only know that at the end of the game, there were a lot of sick people in our dressing room. We felt sick that we could not win that game." Here is the story of the golden moment of Indian cricket in the words of Indian captain.

Thanks God I have done itTendulkar prays after his record 35th Century

Never before he had betrayed such emotions on the ground. After breaking Sunil Gavaskars' record of 34 Test centuries at Delhi's Pherozshah Kotla ground an ecstatic Tendulkar jumped with joy, thanked his stars and publicly prayed to his god. After the play he expressed his gratitude to his coach Ramakant Achrekar, his late father Ramesh Tendulkar, his brother Ajit Tendulkar.
To listen Click here (English)
Sachin's 35th Test century in pictures
sourcehttp://www.historytalking.com/cricket.htm

History of Indian cricket - 2000 till date

The start to the new millennium was not very auspicious for the Indian cricket team. They were engulfed in a series of match fixing scandals. However, as the years wore on, Indian cricket witnessed many enthralling victories and left the world bewildered.

Match fixing scandal

The period from April 2000 to January 2001 was one of the lowest points of Indian cricket. The game was engulfed in match fixing scandals with big names like Kapil Dev, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma and Mohammad Azharuddin in the line of fire.

It came to a point where India’s finest all-rounder and the man who was voted by Wisden as India’s cricketer of the century was seen shedding tears on a television channel and making statements like he regretted and was ashamed to have ever played the game of cricket.

After the Delhi Police found substantial proof against Hansie Cronje, the Pandora’s Box was opened. A few names have now been cleared, but many still await their clearance from the morbid affair.

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India vs. Australia - 2001

This was a home series where the undulated fortunes of the Indian Team caused a flutter in more than a few hearts. After being blown away by the Aussies in the first Test in Mumbai, the Indians were with their backs against the wall in the second Test at Kolkatta.

A pathetic score line of 128 for 8 at the stumps on the second day, the officials as well as the fans were justifiably disgruntled. They could be forgiven for this terrible gaffe for they were mere mortals who could not foresee the miracle which gradually unfolded over the next three days.

Being made to follow on, the disgrace did not bow India down. V.V.S. Laxman rose to the occasion and made Eden Gardens his own. Along with Rahul Dravid he decimated the Aussie attack with his stylish drives. His knock of 281 was the highest score made by an Indian in Test cricket after which he was fondly nicknamed ‘Very Very Special Laxman.’ Another highlight of this match was Harbhajan Singh’s hat-trick which got him 13 wickets in the match and the title of ‘Turbanator’ by the Australians.

The Indians went on to win this match as well as the next one to clinch the series 2-1. The Kolkatta Test was only the third Test in history where a team being made to follow on, went on to win the match. This feat was earlier achieved in1894 by Andrew Stoddart’s England team and in 1981 by Mike Brearley’s England team against the Aussies in both the cases.

The Natwest Series – 2002

Little was it known that the summer of 2002 would change the entire outlook of the Indian team. Young blood injected an imperious zeal into the team. The two names that stole the show were Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif who chased down a record total of 326 in the Natwest final against the English.

Such was the fervor that the captain, Sourav Ganguly, took off his shirt in a much talked about incident which was termed as an immature act in a moment of joyful insanity
sourcehttp://cricket.zeenews.com/crichistory.asp?nid=84

History of Indian cricket - 1990s

The 1990’s was an era in Indian cricket where the growth of the game in terms of commerce increased manifolds. With the advent of satellite television, the impetus given to cricket in the country was tremendous. The competition amongst the broadcasters for telecast rights ranged from being tough to nasty. Those who benefited the most were the viewers who got the best of both worlds in terms of choice of matches and quality of pictures.

South Africa’s re-entry – 1991

India’s representative in the ICC, Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, moved the proposition for South Africa’s re-entry into international cricket. In November 1991, the historic tour between India and South Africa took place that market South Africa’s readmission.

Though India won the three match series 2-1, South Africa showed adequate signs of shaping up into one of the greatest sides in world cricket.

World Cup – 1992

The World Cup in 1992 was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. It was the first World Cup where coloured clothing was permitted. India’s performance in this Cup was by far very mediocre.

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Despite having big names like veteran Kapil Dev, blistering Azharuddin and young Tendulkar in the squad, the Indians failed to leave a mark. After losing to England and Australia, they registered their first win against the eventual winner Pakistan. However losses against West Indies, New Zealand and South Africa did not help its cause by much.

The Indians had noteworthy individual performances with Azharuddin top scoring with 332 runs in his kitty. Kapil Dev had the highest strike rate of 124.81 in the tournament. Despite this, India failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

Hero Cup – 1993

A well-deserved mention is of the semi-final of the Hero Cup held at Eden Gardens on 24th November 1993. The match between India and South Africa turned out to be a nail-biter with Sachin Tendulkar snatching the ball from Azharuddin and taking the daunting task in his own hands. With just six runs to get and two wickets in hand, it could have been anyone’s game.

The world watched in fear, then in anticipation and ultimately in delight as Tendulkar gave a reason for Indian’s world over to celebrate yet another Diwali!

This first day-nighter at the Eden Gardens was a huge success. The final against the West Indies on the same ground saw the Indians win the series with Kumble displaying a stroke of genius.

Kapil’s World record – 1994

The year 1994 saw Kapil Dev break the world record for taking the maximum wickets breaking Richard Hadlee’s record of 431. The victim was Hashan Tillakaratne caught by Sanjay Manjrekar at Ahemdabad. In addition to this, Kapil also achieved the feat of playing more Tests than any other Indian.
sourcehttp://cricket.zeenews.com/crichistory.asp?nid=83

History of Indian cricket - 1980s

The 1980s proved to be a decade where Indian cricket managed to make its presence felt. The incredible win in the World Cup of 1983 where India beat the mighty West Indies, India’s victory in the Benson and Hedges World Championship of Cricket in Australia and the World Cup being hosted on subcontinent soil were high points that left its mark on Indian cricket.

India triumph against Australia – 1981

Attributed to the efforts of Viswanath and an injured Kapil Dev, the Indians were able to garrote a full strength Australian side. The Indians were bowled out for a mere 237 runs in the first innings of the third Test at Melbourne despite 114 from Viswanath. Dennis Lillie was the main destroyer with four Indian scalps to his name.

The Aussies amassed 419 runs in the first innings with a well-crafted century by Border. In reply, the Indians managed to score 324 in their second innings with Chauhan making 85 and Gavaskar 70.

The Aussies were bowled out for a mere 83, which was by far their lowest score. Kapil, who had to take painkiller injections before the start of the match, bowled for 16 overs on the trot and returned with match winning figures of 5 for 28.

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This win against the Aussies saw the Indians register their first Test win in Australia. The series was drawn with a score of 1-1.

Indians topple West Indies at Berbice – 1983

India’s first ever victory against the West Indies in ODIs came on 30th March 1983. The signs of India being capable of overpowering the very best in the business were evident with this win. Kapil’s knock of 72 off 38 balls and Gavaskar’s splendid 90 were largely responsible for this win.

World Cup Win – 1983

After being branded as a team, which could not perform in the World Cups, the Indians had no end to their woes after they were grouped with the reigning champions West Indies, Australia and Zimbabwe.

India’s opening match against the Windies left all stunned where the Indian’s sprung up a surprise 34 run win. The credit of this victory went to Yashpal Sharma who scored a marvelous 89 under testing circumstances.

One of the main highlights of India’s run to victory in the 1983 World Cup was the win against Zimbabwe. After starting off in a miserable fashion with a score line that spelt 17 for 5, Kapil Dev came to the rescue of the team by slamming 175 runs which involved a partnership of 126 runs for the 9th wicket with Syed Kirmani. India eventually won the game by 31 runs.

The finals of the World Cup turned out to be quite contradictory to what had been predicted. It seemed that God himself wrote a script of an Indian victory, which defied reason. After bowling India out for a dismal 183, the West Indians were cruising to victory, when the dreaded collapse happened.

The Windies were blown away by the Indian bowlers for a mere 140, falling short of the target by 43 runs. The day belonged to the two Indians namely Mohinder Amarnath who scored a vital 26 along with claiming 3 wickets, and Kris Srikkanth who top scored with 38, which basically outlined the win for India
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History of Indian cricket-1970s

Indian cricket in the 1970’s had much to brag about. Winning against West Indies and England was one of the greatest landmarks achieved by the Indian team till then.

India’s tour of West Indies – 1970-71

The 1970-71 tour of West Indies was important for three primary reasons. The first one being that it was India’s first victory in the Caribbean; the second one was the spirit and the grit of the team throughout the series and the third one, being the most important, the emergence of Sunil Gavaskar who would go on to secure his place in cricket’s Hall of Fame.

The Indians sniffed their first taste to glory in the second match at Post of Spain where they defeated the West Indies by 7 wickets. The West Indies were bowled out for a mere 214 on the board in the first innings. The Indians replied with a masterful 112 by Dilip Sardesai and 65 to the name of Sunil Gavaskar playing in his maiden Test.

After a first innings lead of 138, the Indians managed to bowl out the West Indies in the second innings and were set a target of 124 runs. It was again a half-century by Gavaskar that helped India achieve the target.

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The remaining Tests did not threaten to overturn the lead that the Indians had managed to gain. They won the series against the West Indians 1-0.

Arrival of Gavaskar - 1971

Gavaskar’s neoteric style of batting was a benchmark for all to see. Not even the greatest practitioners of clairvoyance could have predicted the onset of a career that would leave indelible prints on the annals of Indian cricket history. He gave flesh and blood to the dwindling spirit of the team. With 774 runs in his debut series at an average of 154.80, Gavaskar soon became a force to reckon with.

India topple England – 1971

Fresh after their victory against the West Indies, a rejuvenated Indian side went to England to do what had been never done before. They defeated the English in their own backyard.

After the first two Tests ended in a draw, the Indians went on to clinch the Third Test at Kennington Oval, London by 4 wickets. The English went on to score 355 in the first innings. The Indians were bowled out for a mere 284. The second innings saw the Englishmen being bowled out for 101 thanks to some fine bowling by Bhagwat Chandrasekhar.

The Indians had no difficulty in chasing the target of 173 runs due to vital contributions by Ajit Wadekar and Dilip Sardesai. This way the Indians made history by winning the series 1- 0.

The 1975 Cricket World Cup

The year 1975 saw the first World Cup being organized in England. Each side played a total of 60 overs. India were grouped with England, New Zealand and East Africa.

India began their World Cup journey under dubious circumstances. With the English putting up a mighty score of 334, Gavaskar did not do much good for the team by scoring 36 off 174 balls. This led to a lot of criticism and Gavaskar’s credibility came into question
sourcehttp://cricket.zeenews.com/crichistory.asp?nid=81

History of Indian cricket - 1960s

The 1960’s was not a period that Indian cricket can be completely proud of. Despite their home series victory against England in 1961-62 and their overseas series win against New Zealand in 1968 and coming together of the famous spin quartet, there were dark clouds that surrounded Indian cricket, more off the field than on it. There were riots that broke out during the matches held at Eden Gardens and there were innumerable cases of policemen beating up the spectators.

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Indians triumph against England – 1961-62
England’s tour of India in 1961-62 turned out to be sweet revenge for the home team. After the first three matches ended in a draw, the Indians won the fourth Test comprehensively by an innings and 187 runs at Kolkata.

Borde had scores of 66 and 61 to his name while Durrani took 8 wickets for 113 runs. A special mention for Vijay Mehra who was the wicket-keeper then, scored a gritty 62 runs with a broken finger and helped his team to register a win.

This was followed by another Test win at the Chepauk in Madras where the Indians beat the English by 128 runs. Durrani took 10 wickets in the match for his side while Pataudi had the crowd on their feet with his magnificent 103 in the first innings which included 16 fours and 2 sixes.

This way, the touring side lost the series 0-2 and India registered their first series victory against England.

Caribbean disaster

After performing well against England in the home series of 1961-62, the tour of West Indies turned out to be a complete disaster. It was the West Indian bowling duo of Hall and Griffith, who completely terrified the Indians.

It was only Polly Umrigar, with a brilliant 172 at Port of Spain, who managed to show some character. However, the Indians succumbed to a humiliating 0-5 defeat and lost their captain, Contractor, in the process.

Contractor was hit straight on the head by Charlie Griffith, the West Indian fast bowler who was famous for more than often chucking the ball.

This led to Tiger Pataudi taking charge of the Indian team at a very young age of 21. In due time, he went on to become one of the finest captain that India had ever produced.

Riots in Calcutta - 1967

1st January, 1967 is considered as one of the black days in Indian cricket. Rowdy crowds at the Eden Gardens became violent and the touring West Indian team almost abandoned the Test match.

There was more trouble over acquiring tickets to watch India play the Aussies at the Eden Gardens again on 16th December 1969 which left six dead and twenty two injured. These were few incidents that forever marred the glorious run of the Indian cricket team.

Victory overseas -1968

In the year 1968 India finally ended the 35-year slump of being unable to register a Test victory abroad. This feat was achieved when the Indian team, being led by Tiger Pataudi, beat New Zealand 3-1. It was again the spin-web cast by E.A.S. Prasanna, B.S. Bedi and R.G. Nadkarni, which bought India to the doors of this glory
sourcehttp://cricket.zeenews.com/crichistory.asp?nid=85

History of Indian cricket - 1950s

The 1950’s saw India’s first Test win and then their first Test rubber. Achieving the former feat against England and the latter against Pakistan, it was a decade, which saw individual players making entries into the record books. Mankad’s magic against the Englishmen in 1952, a record breaking opening partnership of 413 between Pankaj Roy and Vinod Mankad and Jasu Patel’s standout performance against the Aussies displayed the class of Indian cricket.

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India’s first Test win – 1951-52
It was on 10th of February 1952, the Indians playing more for pride after being down 0-1 in the series against the English. History was made in the final Test at Madras where India registered their first ever Test victory, 20 years after they had made their Test debut.

Vijay Hazare led the Indian team. The English, who were led by Donald Carr won the toss and chose to bat. Due to an impressive bowling performance by Vinoo Mankad where he claimed 8 wickets, the English were bowled out for 266 runs. The Indians amassed a massive 457 with Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar coming up with centuries to their name.

The English were bowled out for a meager 183 in the second innings with Mnakad and Ghulam Ahmed each taking 4 wickets. This led India to an impressive Test victory by an innings and 8 runs.The five men who won the accolades for this remarkable victory were Vinoo Mankad, Ghulam Ahmed, Pankaj Roy, Polly Umrigar and Probir Sen. Pankaj Roy had gone on to say: “A victory against those who had been our master till 5 years ago had special significance”. The First Rubber – 1952-53In the words of Wally Hammond of ‘Cricket My World’ – “If ever cricket matches between India and Pakistan can be played without a ring of machine guns and troops to keep the onlookers from rioting, then I feel that the prestige attached to the game is great”.A fierce ‘rivalry’ had developed between the two neighbouring countries and the Test series of 1952-53 redefined the term and gave it a new meaning. India won the first Test match at Delhi by an innings and 70 runs. Mankad picked up 8 for 52 in the first innings and 5 for 79 in the second taking his tally to 13 wickets in just the first match of the series.However, Pakistan came back strongly in Lucknow just five days later where Fazal Mahmood and Nazar Mohammed annihilated the Indian Team.Fazal Mahmood with 5 for 52 and 7 for 42 was the main person responsible for Pakistan’s victory. Nazar Mohammed also played his part by becoming the first Pakistani to score a Test hundred and carrying his bat through with 124 not out to his name.The Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai saw the Indians getting back to their winning ways in the third Test of the series. The Pakistanis were bowled out for a meager 186 in the first innings. With Hazare’s knock of 146 and Umrigar’s 102 in India’s first innings reply, the Indian’s declared at 387 for 4

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History of Indian cricket - 1940s

Due to the Second World War in early 1940’s, India could not play any Test matches. A lot of domestic matches were played during this period. The two Vijays: Merchant and Hazare hogged much of the limelight in the domestic arena.

In 1943, Hazare scored 248 against the Muslims in a Pentagular tournament. Merchant then went on to score an unbeaten 250 against the Rest. Hazare then went on to topple this record and scored an outstanding 309 in a space of a week.

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India first tours Australia – 1947-48

The Australian tour in 1947-48 turned out to be disastrous for the Indian Cricket team. India, under skipper Lala Amarnath, lost the series 0-4 to Bradman’s “Invincibles”. The loss looked quite surprising considering India’s recent run of form in the domestic circuit.

Bradman made 185 in the first innings of the first Test at Brisbane, which took Australia to a huge score of 382. This proved to be enough for both the Indian innings as they could only manage a score of 58 and 98 in the first and the second innings respectively.

The second Test at Sydney was more closely fought though the match ended in a draw with only 3 days of play possible. The third Test at Melbourne saw Sir Don Bradman at his very best with scores of 132 in the first and 127 not out in the second innings to his name. A century by MH Mankad in the first innings could not save India and they lost by 233 runs.

At Adelaide, in the fourth Test, the Australians made a mighty 674 in the first innings due to a double century by Bradman. The Indians replied with a total of 381 in their first innings with centuries from Hazare and Phadkar. Even though they were made to follow on, Hazare saved face for the team again by scoring a brilliant 145. The Indians were bundled away again for 277 on the board, but this match led to the start of close kinship between Hazare and Bradman.

The fifth Test at Melbourne saw the Australians win by an innings and 177 runs and with it they won the 5-match series 4-0. A major reason for the failure of the Indians was the absence of Fazal Mahmood and Mushtaq Ali in the Indian team due to partition. All the responsibility lay on the shoulders of the ace batsmen and bowler Vijay Samuel Hazare. But he could not single handedly take the battle up to the mighty Australians.

For India the stars century makers were Vinoo Mankad (two), Vijay Hazare (two) and Dattu Phadkar. India was dismissed for less than 100 three times in the innings, though. Bradman finished the series with an average of 143.

West Indies first tour of India 1948-49

The tour was supposed to commence in 1946, but due to lack of funds the BCCI delayed it and the mighty West Indies finally made it on the Indian soil in 1948.

The first Test at Delhi ended in a draw. The West Indians amassed 631 runs in their first innings. However they failed to bowl the Indians out in the final innings and the Indians were successful in drawing the game with 4 wickets in hand
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History of Indian cricket - 1940s

The second Test at Mumbai was again drawn in a similar fashion. After making the Indians follow on, the West Indies again failed to bowl them out in the second innings. Modi and Hazare saved face by scoring a century a piece in the second innings.

The third Test was more evenly contested with the Indians coming up with a better performance. After being set a target of 431 by the West Indies in the final innings, a century from Mushtaq Ali in the second innings got the Indians within sniffing distance of the target but time did not permit them to achieve it. The match ended in a draw.

The fourth Test at Madras saw the West Indians win by an innings and 193 runs. The Indian batting failed to fire in both the innings after being made to follow on, they were bundled away for a mere 144 in the second innings.

The fifth Test also ended in a draw though the Indians were just one step away from victory. After being set a target of 361 runs in the fourth innings, the Indians reached 355 at the close of play with 2 wickets to spare.

With Phadkar and Ghulam Ahmed still at the crease with 6 runs to get and a minute and a half left, stumps were pulled and the match was drawn, but the degree of excitement had reached its pinnacle. With this, the West Indies won the 5-match series 1-0.

The issue that gained more importance over cricket during this tour was the captain Amarnath being accused by the Board president, De Mello. There were 23 charges against Amarnath, which included accepting a bribe of Rs. 5000 from officials to include Probir Sen in the team.

Amarnath retaliated by taking out a 39-page statement in which he answered to all the charges and even stated that De Mello had acting out personal vendetta.

It was during this tour that Everton Weeks went on to make a record consecutive five centuries and was run out on 90 on his way to the sixth. His Indian tour ended with a total of 1495 in his kitty at an average of 106.78.
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History of Indian cricket - Before 1930s

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The game of cricket was introduced in India in the middle of the 18th century. On 3rd March 1845 the ‘Sporting Intelligence’ magazine carried a reasonably lengthy match report between ‘Sepoy’ cricketers and the European ones. The article clearly proved that Indian cricket was underway in a city called Sylhet, in modern day Bangladesh.

An impressed reporter proudly stated “the most enthusiastic European Cricketers could not have played with more energy and cheerfulness than the Sepoys did”.

However, chroniclers of cricket unanimously suggest that the formation of ‘Parsi Oriental Cricket Club’ in Bombay in the year 1848 led to the start of organized cricket by the Indians.

Parsi cricket

The first Indians to take to the game were the Parsis of Bombay, an educated, well-to-do and progressive community. In 1848, the Parsi boys established the ‘Oriental Cricket Club’.

The emerging Parsi middle class supported cricket as a means of strengthening ties with the overlords, while intellectuals welcomed it as a renewal of physical energy for the race. Around thirty Parsi clubs were formed in the within two decades of the formation of the first club. They were named for British viceroys and statesmen and for Roman gods.

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Hindu cricket
The Hindu’s took up the game of cricket with the primary reason that they did not want to fall behind the Parsis in any manner. The first Hindu club ‘Bombay Union’ was formed in 1866. Hindus started playing cricket due to social and business rivalry with the Parsis. Hindu cricketers sorted themselves on the lines of caste and region of origin. One of the primary Hindu cricketer was Ramchandra Vishnu Navlekar. Some of the main clubs were Gowd Saraswat Cricket Club, Kshatriya Cricket Club, Gujrati Union Cricket Club, Maratha Cricket Club, Teluu Youn Cricketrs etc. “There is no more agreeable sight to me,” remarked the Mayor of Bombay in 1886, “than of the whole Maidan overspread by a lot of enthusiastic Parsi and Hindu cricketers, keenly and eagerly engaged in this manly game.”

Gymkhanas
The all-white Bombay Gymkhana, which even refused admission to Ranji, was established in 1875. The Europeans invited the Parsis to paly with them for the first time in 1877. This more or less became a regular feature though it was a decade before the Parsis’ eventually managed to win. Beginning from1886, the Hindus also began playing an annual match with the Europeans.

With the efforts of Luxmani and Tyebjee families, also famous for their social work such as establishing schools and good work at the law courts, the Muslims had also set up their own cricket club in 1883. This was known as the Muslim Cricket Club.

Cricket in India got a huge impetus by the formation of Parsi, Hindu and Muslim Gymkhanas in the 1890s. The British alloted one plot each to the three major religious communities in the city, for their exclusive use ending their conflict with the colonizers.

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History of Indian cricket - Before 1930s

Ranjit Singhji

A notable mention in this era is the vital contribution of the Black Prince, Prince Ranjit Singhji who had moved to England to study at Cambridge University and was given a cricket “blue” in his final year by the college.

He then went on to play county cricket for Sussex. He made his Test debut for England in 1896. This made him the first Indian to play Test cricket.

Ranjit Singhji was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1897. He scored a century in the second innings on his Test debut, making his only the second batsman for England to achieve this feat. Duing the year 1899 he amassed 2,780 runs during a season which was the highest aggregate ever made!

India’s most prestigious first-class cricket tournament – Ranji Trophy was named after him in order to honour this great cricketer.

The Bombay Quadrangular

It started as a contest between the Parsis and the Europeans and evolved thereafter. The Hindus joined in 1886. These matches came to be called the Presidency matches due to their ever-rising popularity. In 1907 a triangular tournament was started which involved the Parsis, Europeans and the Hindus.


It was in 1912 that the Muslims joined the league of the famous Bombay tournaments turning it into a Quadrangular. Neutral umpires were introduced for the first time in 1917. Uptil now, umpires were mainly appointed from the Bombay Gymkhana. However, all this changed and umpires began to be appointed from the non-competing teams.

In the 1920’s, the quadrangular tournament gained immense popularity. Players were being selected from all over the sub-continent region. This gave a huge boost to cricket in India and led to the start of several other tournaments all over the country.

In the year 1937, a new team called the Rests was also added to the already four teams turning it into a Pentangular tournament. However, in 1946 due to communal disturbances this Pentangular tournament was done away with, and a zonal competition came into existence.

The Nayudus from Nagpur

The Nayudu family spent thousands on the promotion of cricket. They formed a club in Nagpur that coached many underprivelaged boys and took care of their education provided they fulfilled the only condition, that is, to play cricket.

Such was the family’s fascination with the sport that C K Nayudu’s birth was celebrated by his granddad by organising a cricket match.

The family’s contribution proved fruitful as C.K Nayudu, the family’s illustrious son, went on to become one of the finest batsmen that India has ever produced.

One of Nayudu’s most memorable innings was his 153 in Bombay in 1926. Coming in an hour and thirteen minutes against six English top line bowlers spoke volumes of the progress made by Indian cricket. C.K Nayudu was Wisden’s Cricketer of the Year in 1933 and was also nicknamed as the ‘Hindu Bradman’

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History of Indian cricket - Before 1930s

Formation of BCCI

A.E.R Gilligan’s MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) toured India in 1926 and took on Bombay in a match that proved to be a turning point in the history of Indian cricket. As C K Naidu smashed 153, with elevan sixes and thirteen fours, for the Hindus, India began dreaming big. It eventually led to the formation of BCCI in 1928. Records prove that the first meeting was held on 4 December 1928 and was funded by the Maharaja of Patiala.

The first President of the Board was R.E. Grant Govan and the founding Secretary was A.S. De Mello. De Mello later went on to become Board President and was also involved in the creation of the Cricket Club of India. He also helped in establishing Brabourne Stadium which was India’s first permanent cricket venue in 1937.
sourcehttp://cricket.zeenews.com/crichistory.asp?nid=76&pg=3