Eden Gardens & Arthur Gilligan

 

Eden Gardens achieved its legendary status because of the credentials of its groundsmen. Certainly not for any player or official as the publicity machinery will have you believe.

Almost 100 years ago was established the iconic status of Eden Gardens. In December 1926 the England (then MCC) captain Arthur Gilligan said aloud that this ground was at par with Lord’s and MCG. The saga began…

But we have gone far ahead of our story. In the winter of 1926-27 for the first time ever a representative MCC cricket team from England arrived in India. The brilliant England all-rounder Arthur Gilligan was the captain and the strong team included quality cricketers of the calibre of Andrew Sandham and Maurice Tate. The former England captain Gilligan had basically come to report back to MCC the actual standard of cricket played in India.

At Mumbai (then Bombay) for the Hindu team CK Nayudu, an erect ebony warrior of steel, welcomed them with an innings that included 13 sixes! The Indian spectators on the periphery of the Bombay Gymkhana ground went into raptures as the whip-lashing of the colonial masters took place.

In MCC’s following encounter against an All-India XI, one Sanskrit professor from Pune – by name Dinkar Balwant Deodhar – batted for four hours to register a patient 148 as India took the lead against the excellent bowling attack. This match at Bombay Gymkhana ground from 16 to 18 December, 1926, is on record as India’s first unofficial Test match.

MCC came to Kolkata (then Calcutta) over the new year of 1927 to play the 2^nd of the unofficial Tests. So impressed was Gilligan with the lush  green turf at Eden Gardens that he personally congratulated the chief curator Faguram, “This ground is among the best in the world, at par with Lord’s and MCG.” The billiard-table top outfield and the pitch with a light green hue completely floored the magnanimous gentleman. The saga of the iconic Eden Gardens began from that day.

Arthur Gilligan was highly impressed to find the sterling qualities that the Indians had at cricket. They could hit hard and often as well as they could defend for hours with impeccable temperament and technique. The cricket facilities and the Indian hospitality had few equals.

 He realized there and then that India was ready for international cricket as a Test-playing nation. Arthur Gilligan stressed on the need for a central body to control cricket in India. His well-considered suggestion led to the formation of the BCCI in 1928.

Arthur Gilligan came from a distinguished family with his education extending to Cambridge University. Deeply respected for his liberal views and credentials, the brilliant Test captain was extremely popular for his sportsmanship and lack of bias.

It was Gilligan’s unbiased observation that led to the iconic status of our favourite Eden Gardens and the formation of BCCI.