Indian cricket has been on the rise over the last 15-20 years, with the emergence of the IPL and the quality of the national side giving the country a fair bit of clout in the international arena.
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However, this was not always the case. For much of the 1900s, India was a country whose cricketing heritage was limited to a very small number of people, just as the sport was limited to a very small number of countries, mostly British colonies.
The Indian national team played its first Test match at Lord's on 25 June 1932, led by Col. CK Nayudu. Exactly 51 years later, India would return to that very venue to shock the world by winning the 1983 World Cup. But before the ODI format even came into being, the national team had to up its game in the Test arena.
Which was India's first cricket match as an independent country?
India's first 10 matches as a national team were all played against England, spanning 14 years from 1932 to 1946. After the country gained independence in 1947, the team played its first-ever match against different opposition during the tour of Australia in 1947/48.
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It was on this day, 28 November 1947, that India played its first Test match as an independent nation against Don Bradman's Australia in Brisbane. Not only had India not played an opponent other than England by this point, but they had also only played in England and India so this was uncharted territory for the players.
Only five players from India's previous match over a year ago made it to the playing XI for this one; captain Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, Ranga Sohoni and CS Nayudu. Interestingly, India's number three Gul Mohammed, and substitute Amir Elahi both went on to later represent Pakistan at the international level.
Exactly 76 years ago India first played international cricket as an independent country.
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Australia chose to bat first and scored 382/8 declared, thanks to captain Don Bradman's knock of 185. Lala Amarnath took 4/84 for India. In reply, India were shot out for just 58, Amarnath top-scoring with 22, with Hazare and Chandu Sarwate the only other batters to reach double figures. Ernie Toshack took 5/2 in 2.3 overs for Australia.
India fared slightly better after being asked to follow on, but were still no match for Australia. They were bowled out for 98 as Toshack took 6/29 and Sarwate top-scored with 26 off 160 deliveries. The hosts won by an innings and 226 runs, before going on to win the 5-match series 4-0.
It would be another five years until India won its first cricket match, beating England by an innings and 8 runs in Chennai in 1952 with star turns from Vinoo Mankad, Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar.
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When is India's next match?
India are set to take on Australia later today in the third T20I of their bilateral series at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
