akshay shah

Our country succumbed to cricket many years ago without a whimper. A game that brings the nation to a screeching halt reminiscent of an army flag march, we remain under its tight command . The British raj introduced the gentleman’s game in our country via the East India Company as early as 1721 when the game was first played by the white man on Indian soils near Cambay. It was followed by the formation of the first cricket club in 1792. The English initially must have allowed the original inhabitants of India participate in the game probably out of amusement than anything else and I am not saying this because I have watched Lagaan or have used the movie as a reference point. I say this because the intention of colonization has never been with a beneficial motto, it has always been for selfish, one-sided, sadistic motives. It was towards the mid 18th century that the first all Indian cricket team was formed in Bombay by the parsi community. Quadrangular tournaments were played by the hindus, muslims, parsis and christians against the Europeans who followed the divide and rule agenda, divided the Indians based on religion even while playing cricket. There was of course Ranjit Singhji and Duleepsinghji who went on to play for the English cricket team and “appreciated” for it by the British as if it were an honor.It may as well have been for the men. The international cricket council, the then erstwhile imperial cricket council invited India in 1926 and India played her first test match in 1932.

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