Throughout its long and distinguished history, Wisden has reported on Indian cricket around the world and commented on its highs and lows. One of the first references to a touring Indian cricket side was in 1889: ”Perhaps the most notable feature of the tour was the wonderfully successful bowing of Mr Pavri, who took 170 wickets at a cost of under 12 runs each”.
For a time, India enjoyed a golden age of cricket, largely through Lord Hawke”s tours in the 1890s and then buoyed up by the exploits of Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji who was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1897. But there were set-backs to come, such as the team”s 1953 ”Worst Start in Test Cricket” which saw Trueman scythe through their top order at Headingley to leave the team in disrepair at 0 for 4 wickets after 14 balls. Recent decades have seen formidable players such as Ganguly, Laxman, Sehway, Dravid and Tendulkar lift India”s game to great heights, making them a force to be reckoned with.
This anthology charts the progress of India through Wisden”s pages, using match reports, articles, notes, obituaries and illustrations to bring this extraordinary team – and their equally extraordinary nation – to vivid and delightful life.