What is the History of the Indian cricket?

Two major first-class tournaments in India. In 1911, an Indian team went on their first official tour of the British Isles, but only played English county teams and not the England cricket team.

Cricket is recorded as having been played in India as early as 1721 - probably among sailors off a merchant ship

but the first club was not set up until 1792 with the establishment of the Calcutta Cricket Club on the site where Eden Gardens now stands, although its membership was restricted to Europeans.

but the first club was not set up until 1792 with the establishment of the Calcutta Cricket Club on the site where Eden Gardens now stands, although its membership was restricted to Europeans.

The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages - probably after the Roman Empire

Normans invaded England

At the end of the 18th century the Parsees took on the Eton Ramblers, and in 1848 they formed the Orient Club. As equipment was scarce and expensive, they used cast-offs from the exclusive European Club, Bombay Gymkhana.

All research concedes that the game derived from a very old

In 1877 the Parsees beat the Europeans, and flushed with success, planned tours of Australia and England.

Australia fell through, but in 1878 they did visit England, winning one out of 28 games; two years later they returned, winning eight out of 31 with Mehlasa Parvi taking 170 wickets at under 12.

club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended

In 1889 an amateur English side travelled to India. They played almost exclusively European sides but their one defeat came against the Parsees, Pavri taking nine wickets.

uncomplicated pastime

In 1892 they returned and suffered two defeats in 20 games - again losing to the Parsees.

They also played an All-India side, but the reality was that was almost entirely made up of Europeans as well.

In 1895 competitive cricket in India started with the first Europeans v Parsees match, a series known as the Presidency matches.

Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic

The success of Ranji in England fired the imagination, especially among his fellow princes back home. Many sent for coaches from England and lavished huge sums on ensuring that they could boast the best facilities.

Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed

The success of Ranji in England fired the imagination, especially among his fellow princes back home. Many sent for coaches from England and lavished huge sums on ensuring that they could boast the best facilities.

high-born country landowners, emigré Flemish cloth-workers, shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England

In 1937 the Christians and Jews combined to for a side called The Rest and the competition became known as the Pentangular.

While the competition was the mainstay of the cricket calendar, there was no real attempt to launch a national competition until after India's Test debut in 1932.

none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The research goes on.

That first match, at Lord's, came more than two decades after India's first steps to earn Test status.