Mission 2023: Bombay Gym plans big bash for 90th anniversary of first Test – Times of India

Having recently marked the 88th anniversary of the first-ever Test match played on Indian soil between India and England from December 15 to 18, 1933, Bombay Gymkhana is chalking up plans for a grand celebration of the 90th anniversary in 2023.
A crowd of 50,000 had in 1933 turned up to watch C K Nayudu’s India take on Douglas Jardine’s England at the famed gymkhana, which overlooks other maidans where Mumbai’s budding cricketers play in inter-school or inter-club tournaments.

Amarnath scored 118 in that game the first Test hundred by an Indian
India lost that historic game by nine wickets, but it was the home team’s Lala Amarnath who stole everyone’s hearts. Legend has it that he was showered with ornaments by women in the crowd after he scored 118 in the second innings, the first Test hundred by an Indian batsman. That it contained 21 fours is an indicator of how entertaining his knock must have been. The gymkhana, which incidentally also hosted the first-ever first-class game on Indian soil in 1892 between Parsees and the Europeans, is now looking to revive this piece of history.

CK Nayudu (left) and Lala Amarnath walk out to bat at the Bombay Gymkhana ground
“Over the years, we’ve celebrated this occasion a couple of times. However, going forward, we’ll ensure this becomes a marquee event in the city annually. We’re hoping — this is a thought and we’re discussing it –that for the 90th anniversary of this Test, we’ll really make it a very big event, where we will invite the English and Indian captains for a ‘toss’ at the club, like it was done 90 years ago,” club president Aga Husain told TOI. The grand celebrations are being planned by ace marketing man Shailendra Singh.
“I don’t know how they accommodated a crowd of 50,000 at this venue for that historic Test,” said Vengsarkar. In that crowd was a 13-year-old Vasant Raiji, who went on to become a first-class cricketer and a noted cricket historian.
Former India allrounder, commentator and coach Ravi Shastri said, “I’m glad this function is being organized, because this will always remain in the history books. It is the venue where the first Test was played, and for an Indian to be scoring a hundred will always remain a lasting memory.
Pic: Bombay Gymkhana Collection
So, well done Bombay Gymkhana. Hope the glory days come back!”
With India being under British rule in 1933, colonialism and racism were at their peak during the Test. “I heard that the whites were in one section, while the Indians were in another. People couldn’t go into the clubhouse to celebrate Lalaji’s hundred, which is why gold coins and jewellery were thrown at him. I believe that the value of what was dished out to him was unbelievable for those times. When you see photographs of the crowd during that match, it must have spread into Azad Maidan deep down, to just get a glimpse of the players. These are hair-raising stories,” Shastri said.
Both Vengsarkar and Shastri are advocating that serious cricket be revived at the gymkhana. “Since that Test, there have been no big games there. Let’s start something,” Vengsarkar said. “I just wish cricket would come back (at the club). Carnival cricket is good for starters.
Even if it’s not first-class cricket, you want a high level of club cricket being played here. If that comes here again, you’ll see a lot more people coming and watching these games,” Shastri said.
Both Vengsarkar and Shastri have fond memories of playing at the gymkhana. “I played here as captain of Bombay Schools. There used to be half-day games in those days. I remember we played against M A K Pataudi, who was the Indian captain then. ‘Tiger’ Pataudi opened the innings. He had a very open-chested stance. We had a pacer called Shyam Sawant, who used to bowl good outswingers. I ran up to him and said, ‘He’s got an open-chested stance. Try and get him bowled around his legs.’ Shyam agreed. Pataudi must’ve thought, ‘These kids are trying to make fun of me.’ Shyam bowled exactly where I wanted him to bowl, just outside his legs. Patuadi didn’t move but just whipped the ball from behind him. We didn’t know where to look! Later, I played an inter-collegiate match here, and there was a crowd of 3,000 for that! It’s a fantastic venue, one of the best in the city,” remembered Vengsarkar.
Shastri said, “My memories of playing here are of a pitch which had good bounce. Also, I always enjoyed playing here because this place had the best lunch!”