Chepauk Stadium’s Roar and a Reflection on Cricket’s Founders
Watching the entire Chepauk stadium erupt in joy last week had me pondering over what the founding fathers of Indian cricket in our city would have felt had they been around to witness it. A quiet sense of satisfaction is my guess. They never jumped about, shouted, or gesticulated in those days.
Buchi Babu Naidu: The Father of Indian Cricket in Madras
Enough and more has been written about the Europeans who pioneered cricket in our city. And Buchi Babu (aka Venkatamahipathi) Naidu’s role in fostering a love for the game among Indians here is well documented. Not only did he fund their gear, he also founded a club for them, namely the Madras United Cricket Club (MUCC), and convinced the Europeans of the Madras Cricket Club to play matches with them. It is no wonder that he is known as the father of Indian cricket in Madras. That revolution was set in motion in 1888 by Buchi Babu. But who were the others?
The Native XI and Their Role in Early Cricket
The answer is in the issue dated December 29, 1892, of the magazine Cricket, A Weekly Record of the Game. The Native XI that played on November 30 against the visiting Lord Hawke team comprised the brothers H and P Lincoln, Sabhapathy, Rajagopal Naidu, Appathorai, Soobrailoo, Amurtham, Strinivasaloo, Rajagopal Chari, Balakrishnan and Achuta Menyn. The spellings are as given.
Profiles of Key Indian Cricketers from the 1892 Match
Among these, the Lincoln Brothers are mentioned elsewhere as members of the Doveton Cricket Club, while Rajagopal Chari is praised as the greatest of all left-arm bowlers that Madras produced. Soobrailoo was later described by Buchi Babu’s son C Ramaswami as “a fast bowler, a punishing batsman and a good fieldsman.”
NR Balakrishna Mudaliar: A Cricketer and Accomplished Sportsman
Among the others, Balakrishnan is very clearly NR Balakrishna Mudaliar. Born in 1870, he was a graduate of the Government School of Arts and Crafts (now known as the College of Fine Arts, Egmore) and, at the time of playing in the Native XI, was also a teacher at his alma mater. He rose to become the first Indian Superintendent of the same college and was decorated by the Government with the titles of Rao Saheb and Rao Bahadur.
He seems to have been a natural at sports, for a 1935 record says he played tennis very well too. Beginning with the Madras Championship Cup for Athletic Sports in 1892, he had by 1935 won 103 prizes for his prowess in sports. A co-founder of the MUCC, he was its Vice President for long.
Achuta Menon and Other Forgotten Names
Achuta Menon is on record as being a member of the Young Men’s Cricket Club, Madras, but we know nothing more about him. As for the rest, we draw a blank. What is surprising is that Buchi Babu’s name does not figure in the list at all. It is quite likely that he contented himself with playing the role of guide, coach, mentor, manager, and patron all rolled into one.
The Native XI’s Possible Venues and Early Restrictions
Did the Native XI play against Lord Hawke’s team at Chepauk? Unlikely, for Indians were not allowed on that hallowed ground in the 19th century. The match probably happened at the Island Grounds or on the grounds of Guindy Lodge, then the Governor’s weekend retreat.
Breaking Barriers: The Path to Indians vs Europeans Matches
A decade or so later, Buchi Babu managed to change all that. The MCC agreed to play against the MUCC at Chepauk, though members of the latter team did not have access to the clubhouse. But even this was a breakthrough. This led to an annual Indians vs Europeans match, begun in 1908.
The Legacy of Buchi Babu and India’s Cricketing Dominance
Sadly, Buchi Babu died before it was held, but it became the precursor to the Pongal tests for which Madras was famous. And now, India dominates world cricket.
This article appeared in The Hindu – https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-first-native-cricket-team-of-madras/article69372433.ece
A video on this topic can be seen here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2OUrJYCwoQ&t=472s