Bengal cricket team
Personnel
CaptainManoj Tiwary (FC)
Sudip Kumar Gharami (List A & T20)
CoachLaxmi Ratan Shukla
OwnerCricket Association of Bengal
Team information
Colours  Dark Blue   Yellow
Founded1889
Home groundEden Gardens
Capacity66,349[1]
History
First-class debutAustralia
in 1935
at Eden Gardens, Calcutta
Ranji Trophy wins2
Vijay Hazare Trophy wins1
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy wins1
Official websiteCAB

In India, the Bengal cricket team represents the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in domestic competition. Based at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, they have played first-class cricket since 1935. Bengal have won the Ranji Trophy twice and been runners-up 13 times. They also play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, both of which they have won once. Several international cricketers have played for the team including Dilip Doshi, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammed Shami, Pankaj Roy, and Wriddhiman Saha.

History

Ground of the Calcutta Cricket Club, 15 Jan'y. 1861 H.M. 68th L.I. from Rangoon, versus the Calcutta Cricket Club, a lithograph after a watercolour by Percy Carpenter, depicting a Calcutta Cricket Club match played at Eden Gardens.

The Calcutta Cricket Club was founded in 1792 with membership restricted to Europeans.[2][3] The team's earliest known match was reported 23 February 1792 in the Madras Courier, Calcutta playing a team from Barrackpore and Dumdum.[4] Eden Gardens was established as the club's home stadium in 1864. It had been a park called Auckland Circus Gardens, named after George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, who was the Governor-General of India from 1836 to 1842. It was renamed Eden Gardens in 1841, in honour of Auckland's two sisters.[4][5][6]

For the first time, a team representing Bengal was formed in December 1889 for a match against an English touring team at Eden Gardens.[4] At that time, no native Bengalis were involved and the team, captained by British Army officer Cleveland Greenway, was composed of European colonials who were mostly British expatriates. Bengal lost the match, played over the New Year period, by an innings and 17 runs.[7] In January 1923, a Bengal team took part in the Nagpur Provincial Tournament and, having defeated a Central Provinces XI in their semi-final, lost the final against Bombay. The Bengal team in this competition included a couple of native players but, as before, it was principally a colonial enterprise.[8] The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) was founded in 1928 and has governance of all cricket in West Bengal, including management of the Bengal team.[9]

Manoj Tiwary is Bengal's current first-class captain.

In 1934, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organised the Ranji Trophy but Bengal did not take part in 1934–35. Bengal achieved first-class status in December 1935 when they played the Australian tourists. Bengal were captained by Alec Hosie and the team included Shute Banerjee. Although the Australian team on that tour was a mixed bag of veterans and fringe players, they easily defeated Bengal by 9 wickets.[10][11]

In January 1936, Bengal joined the Ranji Trophy, playing in the East Zone, and reached the semi-final where they lost to Madras. In 1936–37, Bengal were runners-up to Nawanagar. Two years later, in 1938–39, Bengal won the Ranji for the first time when they defeated Southern Punjab in the final.[12] Throughout this period, Bengal was essentially a West Bengal team. They were based in Calcutta and played all their matches at Eden Gardens. The earliest match of note in Dhaka was in February 1941 when a Bengal Governor's XI played the Bengal Gymkhana at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, then called the Dacca Stadium.[13] Following Partition of India in 1947, Bengal was split into West (India) and East (then Pakistan, now Bangladesh).

Bengal won their second Ranji Trophy in 1989–90 when they defeated Delhi in the final.[14] To 2023, In addition to their two titles, Bengal have been runners-up 13 times, most recently in 2022–23, and only Bombay/Mumbai have appeared in more finals.[15]

Having won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2011, Bengal won the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2012. Playing under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, they defeated Mumbai in the final at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi on 12 March 2012.[16]

Author Mihir Bose, writing in 1990, commented that cricket's first secure foothold in India was Calcutta Cricket Club, founded 1792 and only five years younger than Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Despite continuing enthusiasm for the sport in Bengal, it is overshadowed by Mumbai as "the centre for Indian cricket".[17] Bose describes Eden Gardens as "one of the great Test match centres of the world", but he laments the relative lack of Bengali Test players saying that only "a handful" has played Test cricket.[17]

To the end of 2023, Bengal have played in a total of 450 first-class matches, 446 of them in the Ranji Trophy. The exceptions are the team's inaugural first-class match against the 1935/36 Australians; Marylebone Cricket Club in December 1951; the Commonwealth XI in December 1953; and the 1990/91 Irani Cup against Rest of India.[18]

Home grounds

Eden Gardens today

Honours

Players

Current squad

Updated to 31 October 2023, when Bengal were knocked out of the 2023–24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Players with international caps are listed in bold.

Name Debut Notes Refs
Batters
Suvankar Bal 2020/21 Born 1995. Played nine matches (two FC, four LA, three T20) to end of 2022/23 season. [19][20]
Abhishek Das 2012/13 Born 1990. Played 23 matches (five FC, five LA, thirteen T20) to end of 2022/23 season. [21][22]
Abhimanyu Easwaran 2013/14 Born 1995. Experienced opening bat who has been a standby for India Test squads. Has made 22 FC hundreds with a highest score (HS) of 233. [23][24]
Sudip Kumar Gharami 2019/20 Born 1999. Bengal's T20 captain in 2023/24. Has scored four FC hundreds (HS 186) and two LA hundreds (HS 162). [25][26]
Koushik Ghosh 2013/14 Born 1992. Plays in FC matches only with 17 appearances to end of 2022/23 season. Has scored two FC hundreds (HS 114). [27][28]
Ranjot Singh Khaira 2021/22 Born 1998. Yet to make first-class debut. Has played in two LA and twelve T20 matches. [29][30]
Anustup Majumdar 2004/05 Born 1984. Has not played in T20 since 2020/21. 81 FC appearances to end of 2022/23 season and has scored thirteen hundreds (HS 159). Played for Railways in 2014/15, then returned to Bengal. [31][32]
Ritwik Roy Chowdhury 2014/15 Born 1995. Roy Chowdhury is a short-form specialist and has made only four FC appearances from 2019/20 to 2021/22. Played in 20 LA and 33 T20 matches. [33][34]
Kazi Junaid Saifi 2019/20 Born 1998. Left-handed batsman who has made three FC appearances to end of 2022/23 season. [35][36]
Wicket-keepers
Shakir Habib Gandhi 2023/24 Born 1999. Made his T20 debut in October 2023 and played in six matches. Yet to play in FC or LA. [37][38]
Agniv Pan 2016/17 Born 1997. Played in thirty matches to November 2022 (nine FC, ten LA, eleven T20) with 29 dismissals (22 caught, seven stumped). [39][40]
Abhishek Porel 2021/22 Born 2002. Played in sixteen FC matches to end of 2022/23 season. Has dismissed 66 batters with 58 catches and eight stumped. Played in fourteen T20s to October 2023 (five caught). [41][42]
All-rounders
Karan Lal 2021/22 Born 2000. Bowls off spin (OB). Has played four FC and fifteen T20 matches for Bengal to October 2023. Member of India Under-19s in 2019/20 and played in seven Under-19 ODIs. [43][44]
Kaushik Maity 2023/24 Born 1999. Bowls slow left arm orthodox (SLA). Played in three T20s, October 2023. [45][46]
Sayan Mondal 2009/10 Born 1989. Bowls right-arm medium pace (RM). Experienced player with 26 FC, 26 LA and 23 T20 appearances to end of 2022/23 season. Has scored 1,009 FC runs (HS 135) and taken 24 wickets with best bowling (BB) of 4/71. [47][48]
Prayas Ray Barman 2018/19 Born 2000. Bowls off break (OB). Has played nine LA and seven T20 for Bengal, but has yet to make his FC debut. He also played in one IPL match for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019. [49][50]
Shahbaz Ahmed 2018/19 Born 1994. Bowls SLA. Made FC debut for Bengal v Hyderabad in December 2018. HS: 116 (one hundred); BB: 7/57 (four 5wI). Has played for India in 3 ODI and 2 T20I. Played in 39 IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2021. [51][52]
Manoj Tiwary 2003/04 Born 1985. Bowls leg break (LB). Bengal's FC captain in 2022/23. Has played in 141 FC matches with a highest score of 303* (29 hundreds). He announced his retirement in August 2023 but then decided to play on in 2023/24. He has played for India in 12 ODI and 3 T20I. [53][54]
Pace Bowlers
Akash Deep 2018/19 Born 1996. Bowls right arm fast medium (RFM). Played in seven IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2022/23. [55][56]
Debopratim Halder none Born 2002. Bowls RFM. Debopratim Kalyan Halder has been named as a Bengal squad member for the 2023/24 season. [57][58]
Mukesh Kumar 2015/16 Born 1993. Bowls RFM. [59][60]
Ishan Porel 2016/17 Born 1998. Bowls RFM. [61][62]
Geet Puri 2021/22 Born 1994. Bowls left arm fast medium (LFM). [63][64]
Seam Bowlers
Saksham Chaudhary 2023/24 Born 1999. Bowls RM. Saksham Sarueshkumar Chaudhary played in two T20s in October 2023. [65][66]
Pritam Chakraborty 2013/14 Born 1994. Bowls RM. Has played in four FC and five T20 for Bengal. [67][68]
Akash Ghatak 2022/23 Born 1996. Bowls RM. Has played in five matches for Bengal (three FC, two LA). [69][70]
Ravi Kumar 2022/23 Born 2003. Bowls left-arm medium pace (LM). Rajendrasingh Ravi Kumar has played in five T20 matches for Bengal and in ten Under-19 ODI for the India Under-19s. [71][72]
Mohammed Kaif 2020/21 Born 1996. Brother of Mohammed Shami. Also known as Kaif Ahmed. Bowls right-arm medium-fast (RMF). Has played in four LA matches to November 2023. [73][74]
Spin Bowlers
Writtick Chatterjee 2013/14 Born 1992. Bowls OB. [75][76]
Pradipta Pramanik 2015/16 Born 1998. Bowls SLA. [77][78]

Notable former players

Sourav Ganguly captained India for five years.

The following Bengal cricketers hold team records or have made international appearances in Test, ODI or T20I matches.

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Eden Gardens, Kolkata". Board of Cricket Control in India. Archived from the original on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Bhaumik, Mallika (18 February 2021). "The British hangover of Kolkata's elite clubs". Kolkata: Get Bengal News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Gupta, Sujoy (1 January 2002). Seventeen Ninety Two: A History of the Calcutta Cricket & Football Club. Kolkata: Calcutta Cricket & Football Club. p. 180. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Chronology of Sports Events. West Bengal Department of Youth Services and Sports, 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  5. ↑ Bag, Shamik (January 2000). "In the shadow of Eden". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Eden Gardens". Kolkata City Tours. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Guha, 2001, pp. 33–37.
  8. ↑ Nagpur Provincial Tournament itinerary, 1923. CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 November 2023. (subscription required)
  9. ↑ Early History of Bengal Cricket leading to the formation of the Cricket Association of Bengal in 1928. Bengal Cricket Association. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Bengal v Australians, December 1935. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  11. ↑ Bengal v Australians, December 1935. CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 November 2023. (subscription required)
  12. ↑ "Chronology of Important Sports Events — West Bengal". wbsportsandyouth.gov.in. Kolkata: Government of West Bengal – Department of youth services and sports. 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Bengal Governor's XI v Bengal Gymkhana, 1941. CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 November 2023. (subscription required)
  14. ↑ "The Ranji Trophy". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  15. ↑ Ranji Trophy Winners (from 1934/35). Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Final: Bengal v Mumbai at Delhi, March 12, 2012 | Cricket Scorecard". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  17. 1 2 Bose, 1990, p. 18.
  18. ↑ First-class matches played by Bengal. CricketArchive. Retrieved 29 November 2023. (subscription required)
  19. ↑ Suvankar Bal, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Suvankar Bal, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  21. ↑ Abhishek Das, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  22. ↑ Abhishek Das, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  23. ↑ Abhimanyu Easwaran, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  24. ↑ Abhimanyu Easwaran, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  25. ↑ Sudip Kumar Gharami, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  26. ↑ Sudip Kumar Gharani, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  27. ↑ Koushik Ghosh, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  28. ↑ Koushik Ghosh, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  29. ↑ Ranjot Khaira, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  30. ↑ Ranjot Khaira, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  31. ↑ Anustup Majumdar, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  32. ↑ Anustup Majumdar, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  33. ↑ Ritwik Roy Chowdhury, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  34. ↑ Ritwik Roy Chowdhury, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  35. ↑ Kazi Saifi, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  36. ↑ Junaid Saifi, CricketArchive. Retrieved 21 November 2023. (subscription required)
  37. ↑ Habib Gandhi, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  38. ↑ Habib Gandhi, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  39. ↑ Agniv Pan, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  40. ↑ Agniv Pan, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  41. ↑ Abishek Porel, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  42. ↑ Abhishek Porel, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  43. ↑ Karan Lal, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  44. ↑ Karan Lal, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  45. ↑ Kaushik Maity, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  46. ↑ Kaushik Maity, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  47. ↑ Sayan Mondal, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  48. ↑ Sayan Mondal, CricketArchive. Retrieved 9 November 2023. (subscription required)
  49. ↑ Prayas Ray Barman. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  50. ↑ Prayas Ray Barman. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  51. ↑ Shahbaz Ahmed. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  52. ↑ Shahbaz Ahmed. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  53. ↑ Manoj Tiwary. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  54. ↑ Manoj Tiwary. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  55. ↑ Akash Deep. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  56. ↑ Akash Deep. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  57. ↑ Debopratim Halder. ICC. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  58. ↑ Bengal Cricket (2023/24 squad). SportsKeeda. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  59. ↑ Mukesh Kumar. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  60. ↑ Mukesh Kumar. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  61. ↑ Ishan Porel. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  62. ↑ Ishan Porel. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  63. ↑ Geet Puri. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  64. ↑ Geet Puri. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  65. ↑ Saksham Chaudhary. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  66. ↑ Saksham Chaudhary. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  67. ↑ Pritam Chakraborty. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  68. ↑ Pritam Chakraborty. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  69. ↑ Akash Ghatak. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  70. ↑ Akash Ghatak. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  71. ↑ Ravi Kumar. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  72. ↑ Ravi Kumar. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  73. ↑ Mohammed Kaif. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  74. ↑ Mohammed Kaif. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  75. ↑ Writtick Chatterjee. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  76. ↑ Writtick Chatterjee. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)
  77. ↑ Pradipta Pramanik. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  78. ↑ Pradipta Pramanik. CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2023. (subscription required)

Sources

  • Bose, Mihir (1990). A History of Indian Cricket. London: Andre Deutsch. ISBN 0-233-98563-8.
  • Guha, Ramachandra (2002). A Corner of a Foreign Field. London: Picador. ISBN 0-330-49117-2.

Further reading

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