How Cricket Started in India

India is known for its immense love for sports, among other things. Many Indians are fascinated with cricket. With their excellent standing in the world rankings and the popularity of their Indian Premier League matches, there is no doubt that Indians take pride in this sport. People from all over the world know how much the sport is loved and worshipped in the country. 

As a result, even non-Indians tend to place their sports bets in favor of the Indian team as they wait for cricket live odds of every match. Regardless of which game format is being played, there is no doubt that many users have grown fond of Indian cricket players and teams. Knowing how popular it is today, people can only wonder how the sport started in India. Here is a closer look at the beginning of Indian cricket.

The birth of Indian cricket

The sport started in South East England in 1611 as an adult boys’ game. In the 18th century, cricket arrived in different parts of the world. Then, in 1721, the British East India Company’s mariners brought the sport to India. They played the first-ever recorded cricket game in the Kutch district. 

By the year 1792, Calcutta cricket was formed, and seven years later, another cricket club was formed in Seringapatam. By the 1800s, many cricket clubs were formed across the country. In 1864, the first-ever first-class match took place between the Madras and the Calcutta team. Although not many records exist about the said match, it is said that the man of the match was Praveen Chauhan, who played for Calcutta. 

Cricket’s growth

By the year 1928, India already had their own governing body for cricket. This is the same governing body that oversees the event up until today. The first-ever Test match took place in 1932. That same year, India also became a part of the ICC’s ‘elite club, joining the likes of Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and the West Indies. 

A few months later, the Indian team had their first international match at Lord’s against England. The game attracted a massive crowd of 24,000 people. 

The National Championship

In 1935, several Indian princes extended their best efforts to learn about the game. Prince Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II even went to England to study the sport thoroughly. Eventually, he made a name for himself in the field of cricket. Later on, he was named the Father of Indian Cricket even though he played for England. 

He is remembered through the National Cricket Championship, which is now known as the Ranji Trophy tournament. 

Remarkable Indian victories

India tasted their first international victory 20 years after their first appearance at the Lords. The game was held on February 10, 1952, at Lord’s and was played against England. There, India won by an inning and eight runs. 

The victory is very significant in the history of Indian cricket. India proved that they could take on heavier opponents such as the English team. This piqued the interest of Indians. Then by 1983, the Indian team continued to prove themselves as they won their first-ever World Cup against the West Indies. From then on, Indians were blown away by the skills that their local players have. 

Cricket’s current popularity

Today, India has already proven itself to be an impressive cricketing nation. They have also captured the hearts of many cricket fans from all over the world. It is no longer surprising to know that many people check the cricket live odds to place bets for the Indian national cricket team.