Know About The First-Ever Test match On Indian Soil
A Historic Day in Indian Cricket: The First-Ever Test on Indian Soil
December 15, 1933, was a historic day for Indian cricket history - the first-ever Test match to be played on Indian soil. It was hosted by the Bombay Gymkhana, with a record crowd of 50,000 cheering the teams on. Abhishek Mukherjee revisits the past to relive the thrill of that first-ever Test match.
A New Era in Indian Cricket
The efforts of the Indian Cricket Board in arranging a home series eventually bore fruit in the winter of 1933-34, with Douglas Jardine's English side to face three Tests in India. The Bombay Gymkhana, established in 1875, was the designated ground for the first Test, even though its discriminatory policies had earlier denied admission to the great KS Ranjitsinhji.
A Memorable Match
The game itself was a nail-biting contest, with England's Cyril Walters making 78 and Bryan Valentine making 136. India's pace bowler Mohammad Nissar made a big impact with his aggressive fast bowling, picking up 5 for 90. But it was Lala Amarnath who made headlines with his maiden hundred, the first Indian to do so. The crowd went wild, with women showering Amarnath with ornaments as he remained unbeaten on 102.
A Historic Moment
The game witnessed a few firsts in Indian cricketing history. It was the inaugural Test match to be played on Indian grounds, the first Test century by an Indian (Lala Amarnath), and the first time that international cricket had been played on a Sunday in a non-Christian nation. The game might have been lost by India, but it opened the gates to a new era in Indian cricket.
A Lasting Legacy
Though the first Test match on Indian soil is now just a memory, its legacy continues to be felt in Indian cricket today. The match initiated a new era for Indian cricket, one that would yield some of the greatest cricketers of all time. Reflecting on this historic event now, we are reminded of the ability of cricket to bring people together and create lasting impressions.