Which was the first Indian Community to start playing Cricket
Which was the first Indian
Community to start playing Cricket? How did they contribute to the Cricket?
Answer: Parsis was the first Indian community to start playing the game. They were close contact with the British because of their interest in trade and
the first Indian community to westernize.
They founded the first Indian Cricket Club called Oriental Cricket Club in Bombay in 1848. The club was funded by Parsis businessmen like Tatas and Wadias.
The white elite did not help the Parsis in
promoting this game. In fact they obstructed in their way and were prejudiced. e.g. the Whites-only club
put up a quarrel with the Parsis over the use of public park.
It resulted into formation of their own
Gymkhana by the Parsis. In 1889, the Parsis defeated the Bombay Gymkhana (White only club).
It paved way to many other Indian communities to open their own cricket clubs but based on the idea of religious community.
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