Cricket in India underwent a massive transformation after the inception of the Indian Premier League in 2008. The IPL was modelled on the franchise based league system, with each franchise representing an Indian state/city. The commercial viability and success of such a league was never in doubt. Why, you may think? India, under British rule, had its very own domestic cricket competition which was immensely popular - The Pentangular. This story is about the tournament that shaped cricket culture in India, but remains largely forgotten.
The Parsi community was the first to adopt cricket in India, as a means to flourish in trade and increase their proximity to the British. The first Parsi club was the Orient cricket club established in 1848 and was funded by wealthy business houses such as the Tatas and the Wadias. Many more Parsi clubs were formed later ultimately leading to the establishment of the Parsi Gymkhana in 1885.
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As Parsees gained proficiency in the sport, members of Hindu community also started playing the game. They demanded a separate club which promoted their interests. As a result, the first Hindu club, Union cricket club was formed in 1866. Another club, Hindu cricket club was established in 1877 which eventually led to the formation of Hindu Gymkhana in 1884.
Cricket among Muslim community was fostered by the wealthy and influencial Lukmani and Tyabji families. A Muslim Cricket club was established in 1883 by the Tyabji family which was later classified as Islam Gymkhana in 1892. The game had quickly spread among the wider Indian population because of the formation of different Gymkhanas.
The Bombay Gymkhana was formed in 1875 exclusively for the white community. Until now, the colonial masters did not encourage competing with the ruling class on the field. But the proficiency of Parsi cricket forced them to play against the Parsees. In 1892, a first class-match between the Europeans and Parsees was played and this Bombay Presidency match became an annual affair. Foundation for the Pentangular lies in this Bombay Presidency match.
Until now only Parsees competed with the British on the cricket field. This, however, changed in 1906, when the Hindu Gymkhana played their first match against Bombay Gymkhana. This is how the Triangular came into being in 1907, consisting of teams from Bombay Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana and Parsi Gymkhana.
It later turned into Quadrangular in 1912 with the joining of Muslim Gymkhana. The tournament became Pentangular in 1937 with the joining of the Rest team, consisting of Christians, Jews and Buddhists. The Pentangular is credited for turning cricket into an entertainment carnival from an elitist sport in India.
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Bombay emerged as the centre of Indian cricket as all the Gymkhanas were based there. The Gymkhanas would hold trials to recruit the best talent from across the country. Matches attracted huge crowds, even to the extent that there was black marketing of tickets. The Pentangular season not only became a part of the calendar but also the routine life of Indians. Newspapers were filled with reports and instances from the matches. Radio commentary was also started which further allowed the tournament to grow and prosper.
Despite being hugely popular, the Pentangular also faced criticism for to its communal and divisive nature. The campaign to abolish Pentangular intensified between 1930’s and 1940’s after the formation of the BCCI in 1928 and institution of region-based Ranji trophy competition in 1934. The tournament was ultimately abolished in 1946, but not before making cricket the lifeline of India.
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