The Indian cricket team has toured a number of countries several times in the history of Indian cricket, so far. However, India`s first overseas tour was in the year 1932, when the Indian team captained by the Maharaja of Patiala (eventually withdrew in favour of the Maharaja of Porbander), toured England for the first time. The team comprised players from almost all the parts of India including the places like Kathiawar, Jamnagar, Bombay, Ahmedabad, Karachi, Punjab, Kuala Lumpur, Gwalior etc and it was definitely one of the most memorable tours in the history of Indian cricket.
The Indian team arrived in England on its first overseas tour on 13th April 1932 and they played their first tour match against the T.G. Trott`s XI at Pelsham Farm, Pearmarsh near Rye, on 29th April 1932. An interesting thing about the match was that the legendary Indian cricketer Duleepsinhji played against India in the match. The Indian team started their first overseas tour in a positive note, as they played quite well in the match against the T.G. Trott`s XI. The Sikh player from Malaya, Lall Singh played brilliantly in the match. The Indian team played another tour match on 22nd May 1932 against the MCC side and it was the match that introduced the extraordinarily talented Indian player, C.K. Nayudu to the world. Nayudu became the first Indian to smash a century in the tour and he did it in great style. He later became the Wisden`s Cricketer of the Year in 1933.
India played the very first Test of its history against England at Lord`s from 25-28 June, 1932, and the team did very well to cause a lot of damage to the English top order and got a very good start in the Test. The Indian team was designated "All India" for emphasizing to the fact that it included players from all parts of the country. The Indian players bowled and fielded very well in the match and as a result, they became successful to restrict the first innings of England to only 259 runs. A large number of people watched the match and in reply to England`s first innings of 259 runs, the Indian team got all out for 189 runs of which Nayudu scored 40 runs and Naoomal scored 33 runs. England put on a better performance in the second innings and scored a total of 275-8, before getting India all out for only 187 runs. The successful batsman for India in the second innings who scored 51 runs was Amar Singh, and the other batsman Wazir Ali scored 39 runs. Though England won the Test by 158 runs, the Indian players like S. M. Nissar, C. K. Nayudu, Amar Singh and Wazir Ali did shown their talents and stood out in front of the English players, quite successfully.
The players, who were included in India`s first overseas tour to England include the likes of Maharaja of Patiala, Captain, K. S. Ghanshyamsinhji (Kathiawar), Vice Captain, Amar Singh (Jamnagar), S.M.H Colah (Bombay), Ghulam Mohammed (Ahmedabad), Joginder Singh (Punjab), B.E. Kapadia (Bombay), Lai Singh (Kuala Lumpur), N.D. Marshall (Bombay), J. Naoomal (Karachi), J.G. Navle (Gwalior), C.K. Nayudu (Indore), Nazir Ali (Patiala), S. M. Nissar (Punjab), P.E. Palia (Mysore), S Godambe (Bombay) and Wazir Ali (Bhopal).
