History of Indian Cricket team
The fanatics of India adores, and are more fond of the game cricket, even though the national game of India is hockey. The most popular Indian pastime is not hockey, Bollywood, or martial arts, but the thrilling of them all is Indian cricket.
Cricket came to India with the English sailors in the 1700’s when the East India Company was in India for trade. Since the English played the game all the important English spots like Calcutta, Madras and Bombay became cricketing zones. Cricket clubs began to form all over the country. The clubs were all white clubs with English playing against each other. Slowly the wealthy Indians started playing the game. The first team to play with the English was the Parsis. The Parsi community in Bombay established the Oriental Cricket Club In 1848, the first cricket club to be formed by Indians. In 1877 after slow beginnings, the Parsis were invited by the Europeans to play a match. Parsis also became the first Indians to tour England. The Parsis and England had a regular tournament in Bombay.
The Hindu Maharajas started forming their own teams. They formed a Hindu cricketing club “Bombay Union” in Bombay. Muslims also wanted to compete making it the Bombay Quadrangular series.
Gradually some European started touring India. The popularity of the game grew. Meanwhile, two Indians Ranjitsinhji and KS Duleepsinhji were proving themselves to be cricketers of great merit in England. Both of these wonderful cricketers played for England. In 1932, led by CK Nayudu, India made its test debut in England. But from there till around the 1950s the team was still considered a weak team. Although domestically they were gearing up for better days. BCCI, Board of Control for Cricket was formed in India. The board was made in December 1928 as BCCI reinstated Calcutta Cricket Club. Ranji trophy has also started. In 1952 the team saw two landmark victories, the 1st Test victory against England and the 1st series victory against Pakistan.
In the coming years, the team was considered a force to be reckoned with on home territory. Legends like Tiger Pataudi, EAS Prasanna, Gundappa Viswanath Bishan Singh Bedi, and many others. In the 1970s globally cricket was transitioning from test matches to One Day cricket. The Indian team was finding it a bit tough to go with the new trend.
The 1980s brought Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kris Srikkath, Madan Lal, and a wave of cricketing masters that are being worshipped today. India was becoming good at the game. In 1983, West Indies were thought to be the best team and India was nowhere close. But all the expectations burst when Kapil Dev and team lifted the cup defeating the mighty West Indies. It was the most memorable event ever in the history of Indian cricket. The whole nation went bonkers and cricket had finally arrived in India. In 1984, the victory for the Indian cricket team was in the form of the Asia cup. In 1985 the team won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia. Sunil Gavaskar made a test record of 34 centuries and became the first man to reach the 10, 000 run mark during the decades of 1980s. The highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 434 wickets was positioned to Kapil Dev.
