It is believed that cricket originated in England. When it was introduced to India, it took on a life of its own. The British East India Trading Company was the first cricket team in India created in 1721. The game was mostly played among mariners in Cambay, around 400 kilometers north of Mumbai. Later, in 1792, the Calcutta Cricket Team was created.
Gaining Popularity
Nearly 50 years after the Calcutta team was formed, the Parsis founded the first community cricket club in India. They intended to spread their love of cricket in the community and inspire them to do the same.
In the late 1800s, cricket gained popularity across the Indian subcontinent. Part of the charm of the game is the simplicity. Two players, a ball, and a bat is sufficient for a good game of cricket making it easily accessible to people.
The Great Players
Cricket is a global sport where teams from 180 countries prove their skills on the pitch. It was only in the late 90s that India dominated the world cricket scene. Some of the greatest cricket players in the world demonstrated their skills playing for the Indian team.
Ranjit Singh, better known as Ranji, was an influential batsmen during his career.
Sachin Tendulkar debuted on the team at 16 years old and his craft has only improved.
A more modern player is Virat Kohli, who is a record holder for winning the most “Man of the Tournament” awards.
Cricket Club of India
November 8, 1933 was a great day for cricketers in Mumbai. A club dedicated to promoting cricket throughout India was founded. The Cricket Club of India, commonly known as CCI, was home to Mumbai’s cricket team. They played in the Brabourne Stadium until 1974 when the Wankhede Stadium was built.
Since its beginning, it has gone on to host the women’s Cricket World Cup finals in 2013. Though the honor of hosting was shared between CCI and another Mumbai cricket club, the final match was held at CCI’s Brabourne Stadium. The world watched as Australia claimed victory over the West Indies.
Now, CCI is a common name to many Mumbai locals.
Fun Facts
The first men’s World Cup was held in England in 1975. The West Indies beat Australia in this exciting game.
The longest cricket match was held in South Africa. In 1930, the England versus South Africa game lasted for fourteen full days.
Though the rules of cricket have undergone some changes, the one thing that has always stayed the same is the length of the pitch. Only seven Indians hold the title of being an ICC Hall of Fame member.
The first cricketer to cross the milestone of 10,000 runs in Test Cricket is Sunil Gavaskar, a member of the Indian National Team.
A little known fact is that cricket was played in the Olympics in 1896. It was canceled after the first year due to a lack of competitors.
Cricket has been unifying people for generations. As the world gathers once again for live games, be proud to support your team with India themed tees and totes. Outside the stadium tell the world about your passion for Indian cricket with
Maatir’s collection of cricket inspired caps.
