The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is today one of the most powerful and influential cricket governing bodies in the world. Its journey, however, did not begin with the Indian Premier League, packed international stadiums or huge commercial deals. The story goes back more than a century, to a time when cricket was still slowly finding its place across India.
From small cricket clubs and matches involving European teams to India’s first Test at Lord’s, the growth of Indian cricket was a long process. The formation of the BCCI in 1928 eventually gave the sport a central governing body and helped India move towards becoming a full member of the international cricket community.
Today, the BCCI oversees Indian cricket across international and domestic levels and has played a major role in the growth of the game worldwide. But to understand its influence, it is important to look back at how the journey started.
Cricket Begins to Gain Popularity in India
Before the beginning of the 20th century, cricket was gradually becoming more popular in different parts of India.
By the 1880s, organised cricket had started developing in major cities. In 1884, a team from Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, played in Kolkata, while the Parsi Gymkhana was established in Mumbai in the same year. Kolkata also hosted a match in 1885 between the Presidency Club and a team from Australia.
These events showed that cricket was no longer limited to British residents. Indian communities were beginning to take the sport seriously and were creating their own clubs and teams.
One of the most important moments came during the British tour of India in 1889-90. The visiting side was led by G.F. Vernon and primarily played against Englishmen living in India. However, the Parsis also got the opportunity to face the visitors.
The Parsis had already made an impression in 1888, and their eventual four-wicket victory over the British became a landmark moment. It was the first time the British side had suffered a cricket defeat on Indian soil.
Ranjitsinhji Takes Indian Cricket to England
As the 1890s progressed, cricket continued spreading across the subcontinent. One person who played an enormous role in raising India’s cricketing profile was Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, the Prince of Nawanagar.
Ranjitsinhji became a sensation in English cricket because of his unusual batting style. His wristwork, timing and innovative stroke-making were very different from the more traditional methods familiar to English spectators.
His performances for Sussex in the English County Championship attracted enormous attention. He later represented England in Test cricket and became one of the most celebrated batsmen of his generation.
For Indian cricket, his success was important for another reason. Ranjitsinhji showed that an Indian cricketer could compete at the highest level in England and earn respect from the cricketing establishment.
The 1911 All-India Tour of England
Indian cricket took another major step forward in 1911 when an All-India team travelled to England for the first time.
The tour was sponsored and captained by the Maharaja of Patiala and included some of the leading cricketers of the period. One of the standout performers was left-arm spinner Baloo Palwankar, who took more than 100 wickets during the tour.
The trip was significant because it brought Indian players into direct competition with established English cricket teams on their own grounds. It also demonstrated the growing strength and ambition of Indian cricket.
However, the outbreak of the First World War interrupted the development of international cricket tours involving India.
The Road Towards a National Cricket Board
After the war, Indian cricket began moving towards a more organised structure.
In 1926, representatives of the Calcutta Cricket Club travelled to London to attend meetings of the Imperial Cricket Conference, the body that then governed international cricket. The club did not technically have complete authority over cricket in India, but it received recognition with the support of Lord Harris.
One of the important outcomes was the decision by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to send a team to India for the 1926-27 tour. Former England captain Arthur Gilligan led the side.
During the tour, several Indian cricketers made a strong impression. The most memorable performance came from C.K. Nayudu, who produced a spectacular innings against the visitors at the Bombay Gymkhana.
Nayudu smashed 13 boundaries and 11 sixes while scoring 153. He reached his century in only 100 minutes, leaving the spectators stunned.
Other Indian players, including Prof. D.B. Deodhar, J.G. Navle, Wazir Ali and Col. Mistry, also impressed during this period.
Gilligan became convinced that Indian cricket had developed enough to deserve Test status. He indicated that he would support India’s inclusion in the Imperial Cricket Conference if the different cricketing groups in India could come together under one central controlling body.
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The 1927 Meetings That Changed Indian Cricket
Cricket had already become popular in several parts of the subcontinent. Chennai had an annual Presidency match between Europeans and Indians, introduced in 1915 and played during the Pongal festivities.
Other important cricket centres included Sind, Calcutta, Lahore, Lucknow, Hyderabad and Kanpur.
The Maharaja of Patiala was also an important supporter of cricket’s development. He helped establish cricket grounds in Patiala and Chail and arranged for overseas coaches to train young players.
The next major step came in Delhi in February 1927, when Arthur Gilligan met the Maharaja of Patiala, British businessman Grant Govan and Anthony De Mello.
Gilligan praised the standard of Indian cricket and supported the idea of India becoming part of the international cricket structure. But one condition was clear: India needed a single national governing organisation.
On 21 November 1927, around 45 delegates representing different regional cricket interests met in Delhi. They agreed that a central Board of Cricket Control was necessary.
The proposed organisation was expected to:
- Develop and control cricket throughout India.
- Organise inter-territorial, international and domestic matches.
- Manage visiting teams and All-India representatives.
- Handle disputes between different territories.
- Resolve disagreements between affiliated cricket associations.
- Adopt rules and amendments passed by the Marylebone Cricket Club when necessary.
A second important meeting took place at the Bombay Gymkhana on 10 December 1927. A provisional Board of Control was created to represent Indian cricket. The original plan was for the provisional body to continue only until eight territorial cricket associations had been established.
Formation of the BCCI in 1928
The next year became one of the most important in Indian cricket history.
In 1928, Grant Govan and Anthony De Mello travelled to England to present India’s case for membership of the Imperial Cricket Conference. Their efforts were encouraging, but there was still a problem at home.
The formation of the territorial associations was progressing slowly. By late 1928, only a limited number had been established, including the Southern Punjab Cricket Association, Cricket Association of Bengal, Assam Cricket Association, Madras Cricket Association and Northern India Cricket Association.
During a meeting in Mumbai in December 1928, Govan and De Mello argued that India could not afford to wait. There was an opportunity to host South Africa and tour England, and the provisional arrangement needed to move forward.
Their efforts succeeded.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, or BCCI, was formally established in December 1928. R.E. Grant Govan became its first president, while Anthony De Mello was appointed secretary.
The creation of the BCCI gave Indian cricket the central structure it needed to deal with international cricket authorities.
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India Becomes an ICC Full Member
The formation of the BCCI quickly produced results.
Around five months after its establishment, India was admitted as a Full Member of the Imperial Cricket Conference, the organisation that later became the International Cricket Council (ICC).
This was a historic achievement because it opened the door for India to become a Test-playing nation.
However, political developments prevented the proposed tours and matches from taking place as originally planned. India therefore had to wait until 1932 before playing its first official Test.
C.K. Nayudu Leads India in the First Test
Before India’s first Test, efforts were made to convince Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, the nephew of Ranjitsinhji, to lead the Indian side.
Duleep was already an established international cricketer. He had scored a century on his Test debut for England against Australia in 1930. However, he declined the opportunity to captain India.
The Maharaja of Patiala was initially expected to lead India’s 1932 tour of England, but he later withdrew. The captaincy eventually went to the Maharaja of Porbandar.
On the eve of India’s historic Test at Lord’s in 1932, Porbandar and his deputy, Prince Ghanshyamsinhji of Limbdi, stepped down. That opened the door for C.K. Nayudu to become India’s first Test captain.
India’s first Test marked the beginning of a new chapter.
India’s Difficult Beginning in Test Cricket
The early years were not easy for Indian cricket.
Between 1932 and 1952, India struggled to record victories in Test cricket. The team was still developing and competing against more established cricket nations.
The breakthrough finally arrived during the 1951-52 series against England. India recorded its first Test victory in Chennai, winning by an innings and eight runs.
A year later, India achieved another important milestone by winning its first Test series against Pakistan.
These victories gave Indian cricket greater confidence and showed that the team was beginning to establish itself internationally.
India’s First Overseas Series Victory
India’s first Test series victory outside Asia came in 1967-68, when the team defeated New Zealand 3-1.
Another historic moment arrived in 1971. India won back-to-back Test series against the West Indies and England, victories that changed the perception of Indian cricket on the international stage.
The team was no longer simply trying to survive in Test cricket. India was becoming a serious competitor.
The 1983 World Cup Changed Everything
The biggest turning point came in 1983, when India produced one of the greatest surprises in cricket history by winning the Cricket World Cup.
The victory had a huge impact on the popularity of cricket in India. It also gave the BCCI greater confidence to take on larger international responsibilities.
India then joined forces with Pakistan to bid for the 1987 World Cup.
The tournament became the first World Cup to be staged outside England. Its successful organisation demonstrated India’s growing ability to host a major international cricket event and strengthened the BCCI’s position within world cricket.
From BCCI to a Global Cricket Power
The decades that followed transformed Indian cricket completely.
India went on to win major ICC tournaments across formats, while the BCCI became increasingly influential in global cricket administration.
The biggest commercial revolution came with the launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The tournament transformed T20 cricket into a major global sporting product and attracted some of the world’s best players, coaches and broadcasters.
The success of the IPL also created new opportunities for Indian players and helped develop a powerful domestic cricket ecosystem.
The BCCI later expanded the professional women’s game in India with the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The competition has become one of the most important women’s franchise cricket leagues in the world.
Why BCCI History Matters
The history of the BCCI is ultimately the history of Indian cricket’s transformation.
Cricket began as a sport played in limited circles and gradually spread across cities and communities. Players such as Ranjitsinhji, Baloo Palwankar and C.K. Nayudu helped establish India’s cricketing identity. Administrators and supporters then worked towards creating a national structure.
The formation of the BCCI in 1928 provided that structure.
From India’s first Test in 1932 and the difficult early decades to the 1971 victories, the 1983 World Cup triumph and the successful 1987 World Cup, every stage added another layer to Indian cricket’s development.
Today, the BCCI stands at the centre of one of the world’s largest cricket ecosystems. Its influence extends from international cricket to domestic competitions, the IPL and the WPL.
The journey from those early matches in the 19th century to modern global cricket is therefore not just a story of one organisation. It is the story of how Indian cricket grew from a developing sport into one of the most powerful forces in world cricket.