India are in England for a 19th Test series. The first took the form of a one-off Test, the nation’s first, at Lord’s in 1932. That occasion 89 years ago was a seminal moment in the history of Indian cricket but it was not the first match for the country on these shores. In 1911, an All India XI played 23 matches between June 1 and August 26, taking on South Wales in Cardiff, MCC at Lord’s — with the Prince of Wales in attendance — Scotland in Galashiels and Ulster in Ormeau along the way. They were the first fully representative team, if not the first of any kind: in 1886 and 1888, two Parsi teams had made

Source: The Times August 03, 2021 15:56 UTC