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| India completes 75 years of playing Test cricket | | |
NEW DELHI, JUN 25
India today completed 75 years of playing Test cricket, coming a long way from the confines of its elite class image to be the common man's game and attaining the status of a religion in the country.
India played its historic first Test from June 25 in 1932 against England at the hallowed turf of the Lord's, where Colonel C K Nayudu led a bunch of amateurs, not only marking a landmark day in Test history but also carrying the hopes of un undivided country.
The team comprising Mohammed Nissar, Amar Singh, Janardhan Navle, Naoomal Jaoomal, Syed Wazir Ali, Sorabji Colah, Nazir Ali, Phiroze Palia, Lall Singh and Jahangir Khan lost the game but won many a hearts for their fighting spirits.
The team, without a coach, tried its best to shine in each of the three departments on the field.
Strangely, Nayudu was not officially entrusted the giant task of leading the team, and was the third choice for the job after first official captain Maharaja of Patiala pulled out due to health reasons and the captaincy went to Maharaja of Porbander.
But with the country's reputation at stake, Maharaja of Porbander, and vice-captain, Yuvraj of Limbdi, put the responsibility on the 37-year-old Colonel just on the eve of the Test.
The team, which was led by royal representatives till then, was not immediately ready to accept a common person as their captain. But eventually they all united for one common purpose of replying to the Britishers by fighting them in their own backyard when freedom struggle was on at home.
Nayudu, the first cricket star of the country, was strong in driving, bowled accurately at slow-medium pace and was a fine fielder too. Despite injury, he led from front by top-scoring at 40 in the first innings. He also was the first Indian to hit a century at the Lord's in a pre-match game against the Maryleborne Cricket club.
Nissar, arguably one of the best pacemen from the country, remains India's first and one of the fastest pace bowlers. He did his best in rocking England's innings in the first Test.
Amar Singh was another great Indian bowler with his accuracy, stamina and ability to make the ball move off the air or cut it off the pitch. He took four wickets and hit an attacking 51, coming in at number nine.
Wicketkeeper Navle, who also doubled up as an opening batsman, faced the historic first delivery of India's first Test innings from Bill Bowes. Jaoomal, who later became Pakistan's coach, was the other opener.
Wazir Ali was famous for his wide range of powerful strokes and Sorabji Colah was an attacking batsman as well as a brilliant fielder.
Nazir Ali was another gifted attacking batsman and a medium-pace bowler while Phiroze Palia was a left-hand batsman, wristy and attractive, and a useful bowler of the orthodox slow left-arm type. He batted at number eleven in the second innings in a vain attempt to save the match for India.
Lall Singh was the first outstanding Indian fieldsman. Jahangir Khan was fast-medium bowler and a useful right-hand batsman. He took 4 for 60 in the second innings of the only Test, at Lord's, his distinguished victims being P Holmes, FE Woolley, WR Hammond and E Paynter.
Interestingly, India will play the first Test of its platinum jubilee year against the same opponents, England next month.
Maryleborne Cricket Club commemorated the occasion by commissioning the Pataudi Trophy on the name of Nawab of Pataudi (Senior), who played for both India and England during his 14-year career.
Legendary spinner Bishen Singh Bedi saw it as a "momentous occasion" but said India needed to be more determined to do well in the coming years.
"We have done pretty well but I always believe we could have done better," said the former left-arm spinner.
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