Question

The history of Gymkhana cricket led to first class cricket being organized on communal and racial lines. Explain.

Answer 1

Mumbai has been the heart of cricket in India. After the Indians learnt the game from the British and took to the sport, Gymkhana cricket started in India. Teams and leagues started participation on racial or communal lines, like the Parsi Gymkhana, Muslim Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana etc.

Answer 2

${\blue{\fbox{\boxed{\huge{\star{\mathtt{\red{Answer}}}}}}}}$

The establishment of the Parsi Gymkhana led other Indians to establish clubs based on religion. By the 1890s, Hindu Gymkhana and Islam Gymkhana were established. The teams which played colonial India's famous first-class cricket tournament did not represent India but represented different religious communities.

The Quadrangular tournament had four teams, viz, the Europeans, the Parsis, the Hindus and the Muslims.

I later became the Pentangular with an extra fifth team, the Rest, which comprised all the communities left over, such as the Indian Christians.

The racial and communal foundation of the Pentangular tournament was severely criticised by the journalists, cricketers and political leaders. A rival first-class tournament on regional lines, the National Cricket Championship (later known as the Ranji Trophy) was introduced initially but, it could not properly replace Pentangular until independence.

Thus, it can be concluded that the history of

gymkhana cricket led to first class cricket. It was

organised on commmunal and racial lines.