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The legend of 1933: 118 runs that made Lala Amarnath immortal on this day

Shreyasi

Lala Amarnath [Source: X/@SajaiKumar9]Lala Amarnath [Source: X/@SajaiKumar9]

The 1933 Test match between India and England at the Bombay Gymkhana Stadium is significant in cricket history for several reasons. Following their first-ever Test match during the 1932 tour of England, India were now prepared to host England for a return tour. 

The homecoming of Indian cricket: First Test match on Indian soil

So, Douglas Jardine returned to the country where he was born as the captain of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) squad in the winter of 1933. The itinerary included three Test matches in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, marking the beginning of Test cricket on Indian soil.

The Test match starting on December 15 at Bombay Gymkhana became the first-ever Test match played in India. Stan Nichols delivered the first ball to Syed Wazir Ali and set the stage for India’s enduring relationship with the sport. A new page was turned in the history of the game without having any idea of what the subcontinent would become in the next 70 years for the game of cricket.

Signs were there with huge crowd support throughout the match, cheering the players against the visiting English side. On December 17, 1933, the third day of the Test match, the enthusiasm soared to new heights as Indian Test cricket got its first centurion.

C. K. Nayudu, who captained the 1932 Test match at Lord’s, led the Indian side in their first-ever Test match too. Six players from India’s inaugural Test match, including Nayudu, were part of the team for the Bombay Test. There were also five debutants, including future legendary figures of Indian cricket, such as Vijay Merchant, Laxmidas Jai, and Lala Amarnath.

Lala Amarnath: The debutant who ignited a nation

Amarnath, the 22-year-old from Punjab, scored 38 runs in the first innings and looked solid before being dismissed by James Langridge. The hosts conceded a lead of 219 runs in the first innings and were precariously placed at 21/2 when Amarnath was joined by his captain, Nayudu.

Amarnath then decided to counterattack the English bowlers. He played shots all around the ground and reached his maiden Test century in less than two hours of batting. He hit 21 boundaries in his innings of 118 and became the first ever Indian to score a century in Test cricket.

This also made him the first Indian batter to score a century on his debut Test, a feat later matched by his son Surinder Amarnath in 1976.

Once Amarnath reached the century, there were maddening scenes on the ground. The news of Amarnath, nearing the first Test century of Indian cricket, spread like wildfire by then. An even larger crowd gathered to witness history in the making. 

 When Amarnath eventually crossed the three-figure mark, the atmosphere at Bombay Gymkhana became electric. The excitement was so intense that a few enthusiastic fans even rushed onto the field to garland Amarnath, honouring his remarkable achievement. Some female fans from the women’s enclosure even showered him with money and jewelry.

A century for the ages

Day three was nearing the stumps when Amarnath walked back to the pavilion alongside his captain, beaming in pride amidst the loud cheer, without having a hint of the legacy he created.

England completed an easy 9-wicket victory on day four, but the impact of the century was far beyond the scorecard. The innings marked a pivotal moment for Indian cricket, inspiring new generations and instilling confidence among players that competing at the international stage was not beyond reach.

It established the fact that even a formidable bowling attack could be defeated with patience, grit, and skill. India’s reputation as a powerhouse of world-class batting owes a lot to the crisp winter afternoon in 1933 at the Bombay Gymkhana, which unfolded a defining moment of Indian cricket history. The landmark feat achieved by Lala Amarnath, in fact, symbolized India’s emergence and growing stature in world cricket.