Interesting facts about cricket: India's records and the story of the game
India's first Test, the 1983 and 2011 World Cups, Sachin's 100 centuries, Rohit's 264, Kumble's perfect ten and why the pitch is 22 yards — cricket facts.
Rohit Tandon · 18 October 2026 · 4 min read
In India cricket is not just a game but a feeling — from children in the lanes to lakhs of fans in the stadiums. But where did the game begin, when did India play its first Test, and which records has no one broken to this day? Here are interesting facts about cricket, especially those linked with India.
How cricket began
Cricket is believed to have begun in England around the 16th century. The first official Test match was played in Melbourne in 1877, between Australia and England. The pitch is 22 yards (about 20.12 metres) long — a length that comes from the "chain", an old unit for measuring land, which was exactly 22 yards. Cricket was also played at the 1900 Paris Olympics, and it has been brought back, in T20 form, for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The big moments of Indian cricket
| Year | Moment |
|---|---|
| 1932 | India's first Test, against England at Lord's (captain C.K. Nayudu) |
| 1952 | The first Test win, against England at Madras (Chennai) |
| 1983 | The first World Cup under Kapil Dev, beating the West Indies in the final |
| 2007 | The first T20 World Cup (captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni) |
| 2011 | The second ODI World Cup, at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium |
| 2024 | The second T20 World Cup, under Rohit Sharma |
| 2025 | The Champions Trophy; and the women's ODI World Cup under Harmanpreet Kaur |
The big records of Indian players
- Sachin Tendulkar: 100 centuries in international cricket, the most runs in both Tests and ODIs, and the first ODI double century, in 2010 (200 not out).
- Rohit Sharma: the highest score by a batter in ODIs — 264 runs (2014, against Sri Lanka); the only batter with three ODI double centuries.
- Anil Kumble: all 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999 — the second bowler to do it, after Jim Laker.
- Virat Kohli: broke Sachin's record of 49 ODI centuries at the 2023 World Cup and became the first batter to score 50 ODI hundreds.
- Sunil Gavaskar: the first batter in the world to score 10,000 Test runs (1987).
Did you know? The "Ranji Trophy", India's biggest domestic cricket competition, is named after K.S. Ranjitsinhji, the prince of Nawanagar, one of the first players of Indian origin to play Test cricket for England. In the same way, the "Duleep Trophy" is named after his nephew K.S. Duleepsinhji.
India's famous cricket stadiums
- Eden Gardens, Kolkata: built in 1864, it is considered India's oldest cricket ground.
- Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad: the world's largest cricket stadium, with room for about 1.3 lakh spectators.
- Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai: where the 2011 World Cup final was played and where Sachin played his last Test.
Some fun rules and terms of cricket
- Duck: getting out for zero is called a "duck", because the "0" on the scoreboard looks like a duck's egg.
- Hat-trick: three wickets off three balls in a row.
- Timed out: a new batter who does not reach the crease in the set time can be given out — this happened in international cricket for the first time at the 2023 World Cup.
- IPL: the Indian Premier League began in 2008 and is today the most popular cricket league in the world.
Key points
- India played its first Test at Lord's in 1932.
- India won the ODI World Cup in 1983 and 2011.
- Sachin Tendulkar has 100 international centuries.
- The highest individual ODI score is Rohit Sharma's 264.
- A cricket pitch is 22 yards long.
Frequently asked questions
When did India win its first cricket World Cup?
In 1983, under Kapil Dev, beating the West Indies at Lord's.
Who scored the first double century in ODIs?
Sachin Tendulkar — 200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior on 24 February 2010.
Cricket's stars: Cricket personalities · More articles: Interesting facts.
Sources
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