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 Singh of Limbdi, put the responsibility on the
37-year-old Colonel just on the eve of the Test.
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