Cricket in India

History

Cricket was brought to India in the early 1700s, with the first documented instance of cricket being played in 1721. At the time of its introduction, it was used as a medium for Indians to integrate into British cultural norms. By serving as a bridge between the two groups, it made assimilating much easier. During its early years in India, the sport was played by Indian elites to gain favour with the British. This not only increased the sport’s value due to its association with the elite but also helped it gain popularity across the country. Although it began as a foreign sport, the sport ultimately became associated with India and began to play a role in India's identity. In the late 1800s, cricket's image began to move away from being an exclusively upper class sport as players from lower castes and underprivileged communities began to play and make their mark.Hillman, Ben. The China Journal, no. 53 (2005): 196–97. https://doi.org/10.2307/20066022.

1800s to 1918

Main article: History of cricket in India to 1918

The first ever match of first-class cricket played in India was in 1864 between Calcutta and Madras. Not many records exist from the match. The entire history of cricket in India and the sub-continent as a whole is based on the existence and development of the British Raj via the East India Company.

1918 to 1945

Main article: History of cricket in India from 1918–19 to 1945

India became the sixth national team to play Test cricket on their 1932 tour of England. Captained by C. K. Nayudu, their inaugural Test was against England at Lord's Cricket Ground from 25 to 28 June, but they were defeated by 158 runs.

1945 to 1960

Main article: History of cricket in India from 1945–46 to 1960

The major and defining event in the history of Indian cricket during this period was the Partition of India following full independence from the British Raj in 1947.

An early casualty of change was the Bombay Quadrangular tournament, which had been a focal point of Indian cricket for over 50 years. The new India had no place for teams based on ethnic origin. As a result, the Ranji Trophy came into its own as the national championship. The last Bombay Pentangular, as it had become, was won by the Hindus in 1945–46.

India also recorded its first Test victory in 1952, beating England by an innings in Madras.

1960 to 1970

Main article: History of cricket in India from 1960–61 to 1970

One team totally dominated Indian cricket in the 1960s. As part of 14 consecutive victories in the Ranji Trophy from 1958–59 to 1972–73, Bombay won the title in all ten seasons of the period under review. Among its players were Farokh Engineer, Dilip Sardesai, Bapu Nadkarni, Ramakant Desai, Baloo Gupte, Ashok Mankad and Ajit Wadekar. In the 1961–1962 season, the Duleep Trophy was inaugurated as a zonal competition. It was named after Ranji's nephew, Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji (1905–59). With Bombay in its catchment, it is not surprising that the West Zone won six of the first nine titles.

1970 to 1985

Main article: History of cricket in India from 1970–71 to 1985

Bombay continued to dominate Indian domestic cricket, with only Karnataka, Delhi, and a few other teams able to mount any kind of challenge during this period.

India enjoyed two international highlights. In 1971, they won a Test series in England for the first time ever, surprisingly defeating Ray Illingworth's Ashes winners. In 1983, again in England, India were surprise winners of the 1983 Cricket World Cup under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Kapil Dev was also most known for the Viv Richards Catch, and him scoring 175 not out, being the first Indian to score an ODI Century, and also broke the World Record of Glenn Turner's 171. 183 is the lowest score ever defended in a world cup final.

During the 1970s, the Indian cricket team began to see success overseas beating New Zealand, and holding Australia, South Africa and England to a draw. The backbone of the team was the Indian spin quartet – Bishen Bedi, E. A. S. Prasanna, B. S. Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, giving rise to what would later be called the Golden Era of Indian cricket history. This decade also saw the emergence of two of India's best ever batsmen, Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Vishwanath responsible for the back-to-back series wins in 1971 in the West Indies and in England, under the captaincy of Ajit Wadekar.

The Indian women's team made its test debut in 1976, becoming the third nation to do so. It made its ODI debut on 1 January 1978.

1985 to 2000

Main article: History of cricket in India from 1985–86 to 2000

In the late 1980s, continuous live coverage of overseas matches was broadcast by British networks. This was a major factor in shaping what was now becoming the modern game of cricket. Modern technology and the establishment of specialized television networks set a global interest for the sport. ESPN and Star Sports added cricket to part of the 24 hours of continuous live coverage that they were needed to produce. Global popularity increased among the Eastern world. Soon after a domestic league (the Indian Premier League) was established.

During the 1980s, India developed a more attack-focused batting line-up with talented batsmen such as Mohammad Azharuddin, Dilip Vengsarkar and Ravi Shastri prominent during this decade. Despite India's victory in the Cricket World Cup in 1983, the team performed poorly in the Test arena, including 28 consecutive Test matches without a victory. However, India won the Asia Cup in 1984 and won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985. The 1987 Cricket World Cup was held in India and Pakistan – the first time it was played outside England.

From the 1993–94 season, the Duleep Trophy was converted from a knockout competition to a league format.

Several team names and spellings were altered during the 1990s when traditional Indian names were introduced to replace those that were associated with the British Raj. Most notably, Bombay became Mumbai and the famous venue of Madras became Chennai.

Despite its arrival in the 1700s, cricket's popularity soared gradually as it spread across regions. It became a unifying factor in the country, transcending social and cultural barriers. The sport was initially popular amongst the elite, but it began to transcend as people from lower castes would come together to play, watch, and engage with the sport. Post-independence, cricket continued to flourish and became an integral part of the nation's fabric, particularly in their rivalries, the most prevalent one being India v Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) emerged as a pivotal force, steering the sport toward globalization. In addition, technology played a crucial role as it increased accessibility by bringing live cricket matches into homes which amplified its reach and its impact.

The pivotal moment in cricket's globalization in India came with success on the international stage. Victories in major tournaments aided in globalization, but the tipping points occurred in the iconic 1983 Cricket World Cup win which not only captivated the nation but the world. Even the most optimistic of fans believed the furthest India could go was the semi-finals, so when India reached the finals, audiences were captivated. This match was led by now legend, Kapil Dev in addition to Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar who were highly revered throughout India which aided in the increased popularity and globalization of cricket. Because these legends were not upper class elites, they emerged as cultural icons who represented the dreams and aspirations of millions in addition to the increased sense of pride they evoked. Their success on the global stage in a post-colonial India resonated deeply with India as it evoked pride and honor which many had not felt in a long time.

In addition to the increased sense of nationalism which aided in its globalization, cricket mirrored the changing socio-political landscape of India. By shifting a once elite sport into something accessible to the masses, the sport echoed societal transformations with the rise of the middle class. Cricket became a vessel for social mobility and offered opportunities and hope to people across India regardless of their religion, caste, or social standing. With the increased popularity of the sport in India, especially in the 1980s, international satellite television networks latched onto cricket because of its global audience and the newly emerged market of viewers in India. In order to secure their place, these networks worked out broadcasting deals with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which gave the BCCI an immense amount of wealth which further aided in the globalization of cricket.

In addition to its spread through television, its globalization has a direct link to India's increase in consumerism. As the sport became increasingly popular in India in the 80's into the 90s, India experienced a rapid expansion of both televised and billboard advertising. As a result, it became common for various teams and individual cricket players to promote various consumer goods which aided in its globalization.

21st century

Main article: History of cricket in India from 2000–01

Sachin Tendulkar was one of the key members during 1989–2013 for Team India in multiple formats.

Since 2000, the Indian team underwent major improvements with the appointment of John Wright, India's first ever foreign coach. This appointment met success internationally as India maintained their unbeaten home record against Australia in Test series after defeating them in 2001 and won the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007. India was also the first sub-continental team to win at the WACA in January 2008 against Australia.

India's victory against the Australians in 2001 marked the beginning of a dream era for the team under the captainship of Sourav Ganguly, winning Test matches in Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, West Indies and England. India also shared a joint victory with Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy and went on to the finals in the 2003 Cricket World Cup only to be beaten by Australia.

In September 2007, India won the first ever T20 World Cup held in South Africa, beating their arch-rivals Pakistan by 5 runs in a thrilling final.

India won the Cricket World Cup in 2011 under the captainship of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the first time since 1983 (28 years) – they beat Sri Lanka in the final held in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

India won the Champions Trophy in 2013 by defeating England in England.

India played its 500th Test match against New Zealand led by Kane Williamson at Kanpur from 22 to 26 September 2016. India won this match by 197 runs. This test was played under the captaincy of Virat Kohli.

On 29 June 2024, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa in the final. They became the third team after England and West Indies to win the cup twice and also the first team to win the tournament undefeated.

On 9 March 2025, India won the 2025 Champions Trophy undefeated. The team defeated New Zealand in the final. This was India's third consecutive final of the tournament, as well as fourth consecutive ICC final. India became the first team to win the tournament thrice.

On 2 November 2025, India won their first Women's Cricket World Cup, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. In the semi-final, they chased a huge target of 339 runs against Australia, which is one also the highest successful run chases in the history of Women's ODI. The victory was widely celebrated and recognized across India as a landmark moment for women’s cricket in the country.

Administration

Main article: Board of Control for Cricket in India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the principal national governing body of cricket in India. Its headquarters are situated at the Cricket Centre in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The BCCI is the wealthiest governing body of cricket in the world. The BCCI is involved in talent development through grassroots programs and cricket academies. Its initiatives include infrastructure development, coaching, and player welfare programs designed to maintain and enhance India's competitive performance internationally.

The BCCI was established on 1 December 1928 in erstwhile Madras (presently Chennai) under Act XXI of 1860 of Madras and was subsequently reregistered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. It is a consortium of state cricket associations that select their own representatives who elect the BCCI president. It joined the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1926 which later became the International Cricket Council.The BCCI is an autonomous, private organization that does not fall under the purview of the National Sports Federation of India of Government of India and does not receive any grants from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The BCCI is influential in international cricket. The International Cricket Council shares the largest part of its revenue with the BCCI. IPL run by BCCI is one of the wealthiest sports leagues in the world.

National teams

The India national cricket team is governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is a member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Since 1926, the BCCI has been affiliated with ICC, the international governing body for world cricket. In 1983, the BCCI became one of the founding members of the ACC.

Performance

The following list includes the performance of all of India's national teams at major competitions.

Men's senior team

Main article: India national cricket team

The Indian cricket team is one of the most successful cricket teams in the world, having won 2 Cricket World Cups, 2 T20 World Cups, 3 Champions Trophies and finishing runners up twice in World Test Championships.

Women's senior team

Main article: India women's national cricket team

The Indian cricket team has won the Women's Cricket World Cup once in 2025, and have reached the finals of the Women's T20 World Cup once in 2020.

Men's A team

Main article: India A cricket team

Women's A team

Men's U-19 team

Main article: India national under-19 cricket team

Women's U-19 team

Main article: India women's national under-19 cricket team

Affiliated state associations and leagues

Main article: List of members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India

Membership of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is made up of Full Members and Associate Members.

Full Members

The majority of full members are state cricket associations. Each state is permitted one representative, except for Gujarat and Maharashtra, which have three. There are additional representatives from Indian Railways, Services and Universities. Changes recommended by the Lodha Committee included restricting full membership to state associations and limiting states to one full member, with the others becoming associate members, but these have not been fully adopted by the BCCI, with existing members retaining full membership except for Cricket Club of India (Mumbai) and National Cricket Club (Kolkata).

Associate Members

All members not meeting the criteria for full members are classified as associate members. They include:

State Leagues list

Main article: List of regional T20 cricket leagues in India

Organisation of cricket in modern India

International cricket

International cricket in India generally does not follow a fixed pattern. For example, the English schedule under which the nation tours other countries during the winter and plays at home during the summer. Generally, there has recently been a tendency to play more one-day matches than Test matches. Cricket in India is managed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the richest cricket board in the cricket world.

Men's National Team

Main article: India national cricket team

The India National Cricket Team represents India in international cricket matches.

India have been participating in international cricket since 1926 and competed in international tournament since the first ever the 1975 Cricket World Cup. They have competed in numerous tournaments over the years including the ACC tournaments. The Indian national cricket team has also provided some of the greatest players to the world, the biggest example of which is Sachin Tendulkar. Indian cricket has a rich history. The Indian men's national team is currently ranked No. 1 in Tests, No. 1 in ODIs and at 1st position in T20Is. India won two World Championship cups in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev and recently won in the year 2011 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which was won after a span of 28 years. They also won the World Championship of Cricket in 1985.

• Test- [[File:CK Nayudu 1930s.jpg|thumb|upright=0.65|[[C. K. Nayudu]], India's first Test cricket captain]] India was invited to the International Cricket Council in 1926, and made their debut as a Test playing nation in England in 1932, led by CK Nayudu, who was considered the best Indian batsman at the time. The one-off Test match between the two sides was played at Lord's in London. The team was not strong in their batting at this point and went on to lose by 158 runs. India hosted its first men's Test cricket series in 1933. England was the visiting team that played two Tests in Bombay (now Mumbai) and Calcutta (now Kolkata). The visitors won the series 2–0. The Indian team continued to improve throughout the 1930s and 1940s but did not achieve an international victory during this period. In the early 1940s, India did not play any men's Test cricket due to World War II. The team's first series as an independent country was in late 1947 against Don Bradman's Australian cricket team in England in 1948 (a name given to the Australia national cricket team of that time). It was also the first Test series India played which was not against England. Australia men's cricket team won the five-match series 4–0, with Bradman tormenting the Indian bowling in his final Australian summer.
• One Day International- [[File:President Giani Zail Singh receiving the Indian cricket team after the World Cup victory.jpg|thumb|Dev with the Indian President [[Zail Singh]] after the team's return to India post winning the World Cup. They are holding the [[Cricket World Cup Trophy]].]] The advent of men's One Day International (ODI) cricket in 1971 created a new dimension in the cricket world. However, India was not considered strong in ODIs at this point and batsmen such as the captain Gavaskar were known for their defensive approach to batting. India began as a weak team in ODIs and did not qualify for the second round in the first two editions of the Cricket World Cup. Gavaskar infamously blocked his way to 36 not out off 174 balls against England in the first World Cup in 1975; India scored just 132 for 3 and lost by 202 runs. In contrast, India fielded a strong team in Test matches and was particularly strong at home, where their combination of stylish batsmen and beguiling spinners were at their best. India set a then Test record in the third Test against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in 1976, when they chased 403 to win, thanks to 112 from Viswanath. In November 1976, the team established another record by scoring 524 for 9 declared against New Zealand at Kanpur without any individual batsman scoring a century. This innings was only the eighth instance in Test cricket where all eleven batsmen reached double figures. During the 1980s, India developed a more attack-minded batting line-up with stroke makers such as the wristy Mohammad Azharuddin, Dilip Vengsarkar and all-rounders Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri. India won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, defeating the favourites and the two-time defending champions West Indies in the final at Lord's, owing to a strong bowling performance. In spite of this, the team performed poorly in the Test arena, including 28 consecutive Test matches without a victory. In 1984, India won the Asia Cup and in 1985, won the World Championship of Cricket in Australia. Apart from this, India remained a weak team outside the Indian subcontinent. India's Test series victory in 1986 against England remained the last Test series win by India outside the subcontinent for the next 19 years. The 1980s saw Gavaskar and Kapil Dev (India's best all-rounder to date) at the pinnacle of their careers. Gavaskar made a Test record 34 centuries as he became the first man to reach the 10,000 run mark. Kapil Dev later became the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 434 wickets.
• T20 International- India played there first T2O International in 2006 against South Africa. In September 2007, India won the first-ever ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in South Africa, beating Pakistan by five runs in the final. In the 2014 ICC Men's World Twenty20 hosted in Bangladesh, India narrowly missed out on another ICC trophy by losing to Sri Lanka in the final.

Women's National Team

Main article: India women's national cricket team

The India national women's cricket team represents India in international women's cricket matches.

India have been participating in international cricket since 1976 and competed in international tournament since the second ever the 1978 Women's Cricket World Cup. They have competed in numerous tournaments over the years including the ACC tournaments. They are the most successful women's cricket team in Asia. The Indian Women's national team is also currently ranked No. 4 in ODIs and at 3rd position in T20Is.

• Test International- India made their debut as a Test playing nation in 1976 against West Indies. In past time, India women's rarely play test and won it. But in recent years they are playing more test matches and winning it to.
• One Day International-India played their first ODI International in 1978 against England. They were not able to participate in first edition of Women's Cricket World Cup. But in late 19s they have reached to ODI world cup semis consequently and in 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup they have almost clinch the title in the finals.
• T20 International- India played their first T20 International in 2006 against England. India Women's have made great impact in T20 international from their early day of this format. They have been in semis of ICC Women's T20 World Cup consequently in first 2 Edition.

Domestic Cricket

Men's Domestic Cricket

First class competitions

• Ranji Trophy – It was founded as the 'Cricket Championship of India' at a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in July 1934. The first Ranji Trophy fixtures took place in the 1934–35 season. Syed Mohammed Hadi of Hyderabad was the first batsman to score a century in the tournament. The Trophy was donated by H. H. Sir Bhupendra Singh Mahinder Baha-dur, Maharajah of Patiala in memory of his late Highness Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji of Nawanagar, affectionately called Ranjitsinhji. In the main, the Ranji Trophy is composed of teams representing the states that makeup India. The number of competing teams has increased over the years. Some states have more than one cricket team, e.g., Maharashtra and Gujarat. There are also teams for Railways and Services representing the armed forces. The various teams used to be grouped into zones – North, West, East, Central and South – and the initial matches were played on a league basis within the zones. The top two teams until 1991–92 and then the top three teams in the subsequent years from each zone then played in a national knock-out competition. Starting with the 2002–03 season, the zonal system was abandoned and a two-division structure was adopted with two teams being promoted from the plate league and two relegated from the elite league. If the knockout matches are not finished, they are decided on the first-inning lead.
• Duleep Trophy – Named after Duleepsinhji, the Duleep Trophy competition, which is a first-class competition, was started by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 1961–62 with the aim of providing a greater competitive edge in domestic cricket, because apart from the knock-out stages of the Ranji Trophy, that competition proved to be highly predictable, with Bombay winning the Ranji Trophy for fifteen consecutive years. The Duleep Trophy was also meant to help the selectors to assess the form of top cricketers playing against each other. The original format had five teams, which were drawn from the five zones (i.e. North, South, East, West and central) and played each other on a knock-out basis. From the 1993–94 season, the competition has been converted to a league format.
• Irani Trophy – The Irani Trophy tournament was conceived during the 1959–60 season to mark the completion of 25 years of the Ranji Trophy championship and was named after the late Z. R. Irani, who was associated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from its inception in 1928, till his death in 1970 and a keen patron of the game. The first match, played between the Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India was played in 1959–60. For the first few years, it was played at the tail end of the season. Realising the importance of the fixture, the BCCI moved it to the beginning of the season. Since 1965–66, it has traditionally heralded the start of the new domestic season. The Irani Trophy game ranks high in popularity and importance. It is one of the few domestic matches followed with keen interest by cricket lovers in the country. Leading players take part in the game, which has often been a sort of selection trial to pick the Indian team for foreign tours.

Limited overs competitions

• Deodhar Trophy – Started in 1973–74 by Board of Control for Cricket in India, it is a one-day cricket competition in Indian domestic cricket. It was formerly contested by 5 zonal teams – North zone, South zone, East zone, West zone and Central zone. From 2015–16 to 2017–18, it was contested by the winners of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India A and India B. Starting in 2018–19 it has featured India A, India B and India C.
• Vijay Hazare Trophy – Named after the prolific Indian cricketer Vijay Hazare, the Trophy was started in 2002–03 as an attempt to bring the limited-overs game among a greater audience. The competition involves the state (and other) teams from the Ranji Trophy battling in a 50-over format. Since its conception, Tamil Nadu and Mumbai have won the trophy the most times (5). It is also dubbed as the Premier Cup by BCCI.

Twenty20 competitions

• Indian Premier League – In response to the rival ICL, the BCCI started the Twenty20 competition known as the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is regarded as the brainchild of Lalit Modi. This League was launched by BCCI in 2007–08 and received widespread recognition from around the country. The players were selected via the auctions and drafted into the city-based franchises. The first IPL season was held from 18 April 2008 to 1 June 2008 where underdogs Rajasthan Royals, led by Shane Warne, won the first title at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai Based on regional loyalties, the eight-team tournament brings a unique and popular team and player auction system hand-picking some of the best international players in the world and teaming them with Indian players, both domestic and international, in one arena. The total prize money for the IPL was $3 million. The IPL has also Americanized cricket by adding cheerleaders and creating a setting of non stop action similar to sporting events in the USA. The IPL tournament consists of 10 different city based franchises.
• Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy – After India became another member of the ICC Twenty20 and played its first international T20 against South Africa, the BCCI launched its own state structure in 2006–07 season, with 27 Ranji teams divided in 5 Zones. The final was played between Punjab and Tamil Nadu, which the latter won by 2 wickets with 2 balls remaining, thereby becoming the only ever winner of this series. In this series, Rohit Sharma also became the only ever Indian to register a T20 century for Mumbai against Gujarat. The competition was later replaced by the franchise-based IPL. Played for the first time in the 2008–09 season, this is the first of its kind zonal T20 championship and the third overall in the Indian cricket season, which would see Ranji teams divided along zonal lines into two groups with the tournament culminating in the All India T20 final between the winners of the two groups for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. It was launched after the success of the IPL and the need of the BCCI to search for more talent in the growing regions of cricket.

In 2020, stronger crowd participation was seen than in other forms of the game. It has been greatly acknowledged by people and has made huge profits.

Youth competitions

• CK Nayudu Trophy - It is a domestic cricket championship played in India between under-23 teams representing various state and regional cricket associations. It is organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is named after India's first Test cricket captain C. K. Nayudu. Each match is played over four-days. Over its history, it has been played with various age-limits including under-22, under-23, under-25. The current champions are Gujarat who defeated Mumbai in the 2023 final.
• Mens Under-23 State A Trophy
• Cooch Behar Trophy – An inter-state U-19 4-day matches tournament.
• Vinoo Mankad Trophy – A trophy tournament for under-19, in memories of famous cricketer Vinoo Mankad.

Women's Domestic Cricket

First class competitions

• Senior Women's Inter Zonal Multi-Day Trophy -It is an Indian women's cricket first-class domestic competition organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The competition began in 2014–15, as a two-day competition, with the three subsequent competitions in 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017–18 operating with a three-day format.The competition features five teams, each representing a region (or "zone") of India: Central Zone, East Zone, North Zone, South Zone and West Zone. Central Zone are the most successful team in the history of the competition, winning the first three editions. The holders are North Zone, who won the most recent competition in 2017–18.

Limited overs competitions

• Senior Women's One Day Trophy – Started in season 2006–07, it is the women's List-A cricket tournament. Railways women has been the most dominant team, winning 10 out of the 11 tournaments. It was played in round-robin format at zonal level and the top performing team then playing in the super league. The format was changed in season 2013–14, since then it is played in 2 tiers, with states being divided in 5 groups, 2 in elite group and 3 in plate group. Finalists in the plate group, at the end of season are promoted to the elite group and 2 bottom most performing teams in the elite group are relegated to the plate group.
• Senior Women's One Day Inter Zonal Trophy-

Twenty20 competitions

• Women's Premier League – It is a women's Twenty20 cricket franchise league in India, owned and operated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
• Senior Women's T20 Trophy – It is a women's Twenty20 competition. It is played between full members of BCCI. The inaugural tournament was held in the 2008–09 season. Since then it has taken place every year with 2015–16 being the 8th edition.
• Senior Women's T20 Inter Zonal Trophy –

Youth competitions

• Women's under 23 One Day Trophy
• Women's under 23 T20 Trophy
• Women's under 19 One Day Trophy
• Women's under 19 T20 Trophy
• Women's under 15 One Day Trophy

Stadiums

India has a plethora of international standards Cricket stadiums. The world's largest cricket stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium, is located in India. Eden Gardens of Kolkata, the 3rd largest cricket stadium in the world, is situated in West Bengal. The domestic cricket governing bodies such as the State Cricket Association controls cricket related activities and sanctioned tournaments in their respective regions and hence, there are 38 Ranji Teams. These domestic boards are affiliated to BCCI, while district cricket boards in the country are affiliated to state boards. The country has lots of private cricket academies and clubs. The world's 3rd largest cricket arena is being built in Jaipur. MRF Pace Foundation provide facilities to fast ballers.

Active stadiums

International competitions hosted

Performance in international competitions

A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within India

Men's team

ICC World Test Championship

Main article: World Test Championship

ODI World Cup

Main article: Men's Cricket World Cup, India at the Cricket World Cup

T20 World Cup

Main article: Men's T20 World Cup, India at the Men's T20 World Cup

Olympic Games

Main article: Cricket at the Summer Olympics

Champions Trophy

Main article: ICC Champions Trophy, India at the Champions Trophy

Asia Cup

Main article: Asia Cup

Asian Games

Main article: Cricket at the Asian Games

Commonwealth Games

Main article: Cricket at the Commonwealth Games

Defunct tournaments

Women's team

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup

Main article: Women's Cricket World Cup

ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Main article: Women's T20 World Cup

Olympic Games

Main article: Cricket at the Summer Olympics

ICC Women's Championship

Commonwealth Games

Main article: Cricket at the Commonwealth Games

Asia Cup

Main article: Women's Asia Cup

Asian Games

Main article: Cricket at the Asian Games

South Asian Games

Main article: Cricket at the South Asian Games

Men's U-19 team

U19 World Cup

U19 Asia Cup

Women's U-19 team

U19 World Cup

U19 Asia Cup

Men's A team

ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup

Women's A team

ACC Women's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup

Cricket broadcast in India

Main article: Sports broadcasting contracts in India

Domestic competitions

Domestic franchise cricket

List of current broadcasters:

Domestic State/Zonal cricket

List of current broadcasters:

Domestic State franchise cricket

List of current broadcasters:

International competitions

International Cricket (Home)

List of current broadcasters:

International Cricket (Away)

List of current broadcasters:

International franchise cricket

List of current broadcasters:

Other competition

List of current broadcasters:

In popular culture

Cricket is portrayed in Indian popular culture as an extremely important part of India's national identity. It is frequently associated with a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism.

Films

Cricket has been portrayed many times in various Indian films. One such popular film is M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, a film produced by Arun Pandey and Fox Star Studios and directed by Neeraj Pandey.It stars late actor Sushant Singh Rajput as India national team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, known as one India's greatest Captain, Finisher ever in cricketing history. The film is of the biographical sports drama and covers some parts of life of the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni such as childhood, family relationships, struggles, marriage, captaincy of India national cricket team and making India win the most icon 2011 Cricket World Cup by hitting a six.M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story was received very well by audiences and critics alike, scoring 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8 on IMDb.

83 is also a film produced by Reliance Entertainment and directed by Kabir Khan. It stars actor Ranveer Singh as India national team captain Kapil Dev, known as one of India's greatest bowlers in cricketing history. The film is of the historical genre of Indian films and covers the Indian national team's underdog victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup. 83 was received well by audiences and critics alike, scoring 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.5 on IMDb. Many reviews appreciated the film's emphasis on national pride and dramatic storytelling of India's famous victory in 1983, although some criticized the film for unnecessarily over-dramatizing parts of the story.

Celebrities

Indian national cricket players are viewed as some of the highest-profile celebrities in India, especially Sachin Tendulkar, who some attribute god-like status to. Towards the end of his sporting career, Tendulkar began to pursue a political career, being sworn in as an MP to Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of Parliament in 2012, one year before retiring officially in 2013. While Tendulkar has not officially associated himself with any political party, various literature have claimed that he started to become a Hindu-centric role model after the turn of the 21st century during his cricketing career.

Clubs on social media

The five most popular cricket clubs on social media in the world are all Indian Premier League clubs as of 2024:

References

References

1. Downing, Clement. (1737). "A History of the Indian Wars".
2. "Largest attendance at a five-day Test match".
3. (11 February 2016). "Top 10 Sports Leagues With Highest Average Attendance".
4. "7 Most Watched Sports in India".
5. (16 November 2021). "...2024–31 men's tournament hosts confirmed.".
6. Nair, Nisha. (2011-06-01). "Cricket obsession in India: through the lens of identity theory". Sport in Society.
7. "India vs Australia: A rivalry of cricket, for cricket and by cricket". Hindistan Times.
8. Dominic Malcolm, Globalizing Cricket: Englishness, Empire and Identity (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2014).
9. Miller, Aaron. "NATION AT PLAY: A History of Sport in India." Pacific Affairs 91, no. 2 (06, 2018): 414-415.
10. [https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155211.html The All India team in England 1932]. Wisden Almanack Archive via ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
11. "BBC World Service. Story of Cricket". BBC.
12. Khalid, Adeeb. "Cricket Country: An Indian Odyssey in the Age of Empire. by Prashant Kidambi,. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019. Viii, 423 Pp. ISBN 9780198843139." The Journal of Asian Studies 79, no. 4 (11, 2020): 1045-1046. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021911820002788.
13. Khondker, H. H., & Robertson, R. (2018). Glocalization, consumption, and cricket: The Indian Premier League. Journal of Consumer Culture, 18(2), 279-297.
14. Nadkarni, Shiresh. “New Master of ‘Instant’ Game.” New Straits Times, June 28, 1983.
15. Mustafa, Fahad. “Cricket and Globalization: Global Processes and the Imperial Game.” Journal of Global History 8, no. 2 (2013): 318–41. doi:10.1017/S1740022813000247.
16. Guha, Ramachandra. “Cricket and Politics in Colonial India.” Past & Present, no. 161 (1998): 155–90. http://www.jstor.org/stable/651075.
17. Bateman, Jerram, and Tony Binns. "More than Just a Game?: Grass Roots Cricket and Development in Mumbai, India." Progress in Development Studies 14, no. 2 (2014): 147-61.
18. "Final: India v Pakistan at Johannesburg, Sep 24, 2007. Cricket Scorecard". ESPNcricinfo.
19. "Team India at T20 Cricket World Cup".
20. "Full Scorecard of India vs New Zealand 1st Test 2016/17 - Score Report .com". ESPNcricinfo.
21. "Jasprit Bumrah's fine spell helps India beat South Africa in T20 World Cup final". [[The Irish Times]].
22. (29 June 2024). "India seal T20 World Cup glory after epic duel against South Africa".
23. (29 June 2024). "India wins men's T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa in dramatic final".
24. (9 March 2025). "India see off New Zealand to complete clinical Champions Trophy triumph". The Guardian.
25. "India stun Australia in record chase to reach final".
26. "Hit for six: why India's Women's Cricket World Cup win is victory for equality".
27. (2 November 2025). "India win maiden Women's Cricket World Cup after Verma–Sharma show". Reuters.
28. "'We were waiting for this moment' - India wins Women's Cricket World Cup for first time".
29. "BCCI covered under Australia's Right to Information Act, rules top appellate body".
30. "Board of Control for Cricket in India, About us".
31. (11 May 2023). "Explained: ... board set to earn per ICC revenue ...".
32. "BCCI spearheading Covid-hit world? Listing revenues of top 10 richest cricket boards in 2021.". [[Times Now]].
33. "BCCI among the richest sporting bodies, boasts 5,300 crore revenue". [[The Financial Express (India).
34. "BCCI Constitution".
35. (25 January 2023). "Life changing...".
36. Krishna B, Venkata. (10 August 2019). "BCCI comes under NADA code, but not National Sports Federation yet".
37. (26 January 2015). "BCCI monopoly...".
38. (24 June 2022). "Explained. The IPL business model and how it compares to sports leagues globally".
39. "BCCI Constitution PDF Archived".
40. (2018). "BCCI Constitution". BCCI.
41. (23 February 2017). "Wisden India Almanack 2017". Bloomsbury Publishing.
42. (18 July 2019). "Cricket Association of Pondicherry is a Full Member of BCCI". The Hindu.
43. (14 August 2019). "Cricket Association of Uttarakhand gets BCCI membership". ESPNcricinfo.
44. "Supreme Court approves new BCCI constitution, with a couple of key tweaks". ESPNcricinfo.
45. (15 September 2022). "Decoded: What does SC verdict on BCCI's new constitutional amendments mean?". Business Standard.
46. (21 November 2015). "Complimentary passes restricted for Delhi Test". ESPNcricinfo.
47. "History of the Imperial Cricket Conference". ICC.
48. "On this day in 1932, India played its first-ever Test match".
49. "India in England, 1932". ESPNcricinfo.
50. "India in Australia, 1948". ESPNcricinfo.
51. (23 October 2018). "Team India on the brink of ODI record at Vizag, remain torchbearers of 50-over format".
52. "Sunny's World Cup go-slow". ESPNcricinfo.
53. (12 April 2013). "When India successfully chased a 400-plus target against West Indies to change world cricket forever".
54. "Most run-outs, and the lowest score never made".
55. "Records. Test matches. Team records. Most batters reaching double figures in an innings". ESPNcricinfo.
56. (24 September 2022). "On this day in 2007, India clinched inaugural ICC T20 World Cup". The Times of India.
57. "On This Day in 2014: Sri Lanka Won the T20 World Cup Beating India in the Final".
58. (12 July 2017). "Record-setting Raj top of the women's charts". ESPNcricinfo.
59. (12 July 2017). "Mithali Raj becomes leading run-scorer in women's ODI cricket; surpasses England's Charlotte Edwards". Indian Express.
60. "What is Ranji Trophy? Definition of Ranji Trophy, Ranji Trophy Meaning".
61. "T20 History: History of T20 Cricket". Cricketnext.in.com.
62. Shankar Raghuraman. (May 19, 2022). "IPL Playoffs 2022: KKR knocked out, who will join GT and LSG in the final four? - All playoffs possibilities in 6 points". The Times of India.
63. Raiji, Vasant. (1989). "C.K. Nayudu, the Shahenshah of Indian Cricket". Marine Sports.
64. Bhushan, Aditya. (2019). "A Colonel Destined To Lead". StoryMirror.
65. Mayure, Subodh. (16 March 2023). "CK Nayudu Trophy final: Mumbai succumb to Gujarat in just 12 minutes".
66. "DDCA".
67. "MCA :: Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy 2023-2024".
68. "Welcome To Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association".
69. (25 January 2023). "Women's IPL: BCCI earns Rs 4669.99 crore windfall for 5 teams".
70. "The @BCCI has named the league - Women's Premier League (WPL). Let the journey begin....".
71. "CA details".
72. (2019-01-07). "Motera Cricket Stadium In Ahmedabad With Seating Capacity Of Over A Lakh To Be World's Largest".
73. "BCCI TV".
74. PTI. (2022-02-05). "World's 'third-largest' cricket stadium coming up in Jaipur". The Hindu.
75. Dinakar, S.. (2020-09-05). "MRF Pace Foundation keeps itself relevant through innovation".
76. "ICC World Test Championship 2019–2021 Table". ESPNcricinfo.
77. "ICC World Test Championship (2021–2023) Points Table".
78. "ICC World Test Championship 2023-25".
79. "Prudential World Cup 1975".
80. "Prudential World Cup 1979".
81. "Prudential World Cup 1983".
82. "Reliance World Cup 1987/88".
83. "Reliance World Cup 1987/88".
84. "Wills World Cup 1995/96".
85. "World Cup 1999".
86. "ICC World Cup 2002/03".
87. "World Cup 2007".
88. "ICC Cricket World Cup 2010/11".
89. "ICC Cricket World Cup 2014/15".
90. "ICC Cricket World Cup 2019".
91. "ICC Cricket world Cup 2023".
92. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
93. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
94. "ICC World Twenty20 2007/08".
95. "ICC World T20, 2009".
96. "ICC World T20, 2010".
97. "ICC World T20 2012".
98. "ICC World Twenty20 2014".
99. "ICC World T20, 2016".
100. "ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021/22".
101. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
102. "ICC Men's T20 world Cup 2024".
103. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
104. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
105. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
106. "Wills International Cup 1998/99".
107. "ICC KnockOut, 2000".
108. "ICC Champions Trophy 2002/03".
109. "2004 Champions Trophy".
110. "ICC Champions Trophy 2006/07".
111. "ICC Champions Trophy 2009/10".
112. "ICC Champions Trophy 2013".
113. "ICC Champions Trophy 2017".
114. "ICC Champions Trophy 2025".
115. "USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024–2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed".
116. "India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates, 1984 ( Asia Cup )".
117. "Austral-Asia Cup 1985/86".
118. "Wills Asia Cup 1988/89".
119. "Asia Cup 1990/91".
120. "Pepsi Asia Cup 1994/95".
121. "Pepsi Asia Cup 1997".
122. "2000 Asia Cup".
123. "2004 Asia Cup".
124. "2008 Asia Cup".
125. "2010 Asia Cup".
126. "Asia Cup 2011/12".
127. "2014 Asia Cup".
128. "Men's T20 Asia Cup 2015/16".
129. "2018 Asia Cup".
130. "2022 Asia Cup".
131. "Asia Cup 2023".
132. "India, Bangladesh to host 2025 and 2027 Men's Asia Cups".
133. "Asian Games Men's Cricket Competition 2023".
134. "Commonwealth Games 1998/99".
135. "ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2017".
136. "ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2018".
137. "ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019".
138. "ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023".
139. "ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024".
140. "ACC Women's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023".
141. (20 June 2022). "IPL Media Rights: BCCI hits a six while Viacom18 and Star India scramble for the ball".
142. (16 January 2023). "Women's IPL: Viacom 18 wins media rights, to pay INR 7.09 crore per match".
143. "BCCI announces the successful bidder for acquiring the Media Rights for the BCCI International Matches and Domestic Matches for September 2023 – March 2028".
144. (2021-03-22). "Eurosport India acquires broadcast rights for the Bihar Cricket League (BCL)".
145. (2025-06-04). "T20 Mumbai 2025, where to watch live: TV channels, live streaming and timings".
146. (2024-06-27). "Andhra Premier League 2024 starts on June 30: Where to watch".
147. (2025-06-15). "Baroda Premier League 2025, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming".
148. "Kerala Cricket League: Broadcast and Streaming Partner". kca.
149. (2024-08-14). "Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2024 to begin on August 15 in Bengaluru - watch live".
150. (2024-06-08). "Sher-E-Punjab T20 2024: Know schedule, telecast and watch live streaming in India".
151. (2025-06-05). "TNPL 2025, where to watch live: TV channels, live streaming and timings for Tamil Nadu Premier League".
152. (2023-08-28). "Inaugural Rajasthan Premier League 2023 begins in Jodhpur - watch live streaming in India".
153. (2025-06-15). "Bengal Pro T20 League 2025, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming".
154. (2024-08-26). "Live streaming, Uttar Pradesh T20 League 2024 underway in Lucknow: Where to watch - full schedule".
155. (2025-06-06). "Saurashtra Pro T20 League, 2025: All Squads, Full Schedule, Where To Watch, Live Streaming, Telecast, Timings In IST & Fantasy".
156. (2025-06-05). "Saurashtra Pro T20 League 2025 Schedule, Squad, Captains, Venue and Live Streaming".
157. (2025-06-05). "Vidarbha Pro T20 League 2025 Schedule, Squad, Captains, Venue and Live Streaming".
158. (2025-06-07). "Vidarbha Pro T20 League 2025: Schedule, squads and where to watch live".
159. (2024-09-03). "Sony Sports India acquires broadcast rights for the Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL)".
160. (2024-09-06). "Arunachal Premier League 2024 to begin on September 8 - watch live streaming".
161. (2023-06-09). "Odisha Cricket League 2023 to begin on June 12 - watch live streaming in India".
162. (27 August 2022). "Disney Star wins ICC media rights for Indian market". The Times of India.
163. "Viacom18 and Cricket South Africa Announce Long-term Partnership".
164. "Disney Star secure Australian cricket broadcast deal".
165. (2024-11-22). "Sony Culver Max wins Asia Cup media rights at US$170, 70% hike from previous value". The Times of India.
166. (5 March 2018). "Sony Pictures acquires media rights for cricket matches in England".
167. "Sony bags the SLC rights for four years".
168. "NZC & Sony Pictures Networks sign seven-year India broadcast deal".
169. (2025-02-12). "Sony Sports Network secures PCB home series and PSL broadcast rights".
170. (5 March 2023). "Sony Sports Network bags TV and digital rights for the upcoming India tour of Zimbabwe".
171. (6 April 2021). "FanCode picks up media rights of West Indies cricket board". The Economic Times.
172. (21 February 2024). "Eurosport India acquires broadcast rights for Afghanistan Cricket Board till 2027".
173. Paul, Sagar. (2024-12-30). "BPL 2024-25 Live Streaming Details: Where to Watch Bangladesh Premier League 2024-25 Telecast Details in India, Date, Time, and Fixtures".
174. "Global T20 Canada 2024: Know schedule, telecast and watch live streaming in India".
175. "The Hundred 2025: Where to Watch Matches - TV Channels & Live Streaming in India".
176. "Where to watch Nepal Premier League in India".
177. "SA20 strikes landmark broadcast deal for Indian market".
178. (2024-06-25). "Star Sports partners with Lanka Premier League season 5 to broadcast live action in India".
179. (2024-06-29). "FanCode bags three year digital rights for Lanka Premier League".
180. "Disney Star secures exclusive rights for T10 global tournaments - The Economic Times".
181. "Zee Entertainment: ZEE acquires global media rights for Emirates Cricket Board's UAE T20 league for 10 years - The Economic Times".
182. (2025-06-12). "Major League Cricket Live telecast: When and where to watch MLC 2025 live on TV and streaming in India?". INDIA TV.
183. (2025-06-12). "MLC 2025 Live In India: TV Channels, Streaming Platforms & Match Timings". ZEE news.
184. Roy, Vijay. (2023-09-19). "CPL 2024 Squads, Format, Schedule & Broadcast Options".
185. (2024-08-21). "Women's CPL 2024, Where To Watch Live: TV Channels, Live Streaming And Match Timings For Women's Caribbean Premier League".
186. (2025-07-11). "Global Super League T20 confirms worldwide broadcast partners for 2025 tournament".
187. (2025-07-18). "World Championship of Legends, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming for WCL 2025".
188. (2025-02-07). "CCL 2025 Live Streaming & Telecast".
189. "International Masters League to onboard 9 brands as sponsors and partners".
190. (2025-03-10). "Asian Legends League 2025: Where To Watch, Schedule, Squads, Telecast, Live Streaming".
191. (2025-02-15). "ISPL 2025 Live Streaming: When and where to watch".
192. (2025-07-16). "Max60 Caribbean 2025, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming".
193. "M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) - Rotten Tomatoes".
194. "M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) - IMDb".
195. "83 - Rotten Tomatoes".
196. "'83 (2021) - IMDb".
197. (2023-01-02). "Making Indian cricket history: review of the film 83 (2021)". Media Asia.
198. (December 2005). "Sport, Celebrity and Popular Culture: Sachin Tendulkar, Cricket and Indian Nationalisms". International Review for the Sociology of Sport.
199. "Sachin Tendulkar sworn in as MP".
200. Kavoori, Anandam. "Cricket, Media and the Nation: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Three Mediated Moments in Indian Cricket". Global Media Journal - Arabian Edition.
201. (2024-07-25). "Most popular cricket clubs on social media in the world".