This day, that year: When Indian cricket witnessed history at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1933

On this day, in 1933, Indian cricket witnessed history.

The Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai (then Bombay) was the venue for a Test match between India and England. But this wasn't any other Test, it was a contest that witnessed many firsts.

The hallowed Bombay Gymkhana, which was founded in 1875, was a Europeans-only club till a season before. But when CK Nayudu's India and Douglas Jardine's England took the field on December 17, 1933, it became the first venue in all of Asia to host a Test match.

This fact was pointed out by eminent sports statistician Mohandas Menon on Twitter on Sunday.

The historic contest, which attracted crowds of over 10,000 people each day, was also the first time a Test was played on a Sunday since the inception of the longest format of the game.

And as Menon points out, there's more - this was also the only Test in history when two batsmen (Lala Amarnath and Bryan Valentine) reached their debut hundreds on the same day.

Here are the Menon's tweets

Today in 1933, 84 years ago, the first ever Test match in Asia began at the Bombay Gymkhana ground btw #IndvEng
Each day attracted crowds over 10000..
On the 3rd day (Dec 17) for the first time ever we had a Test match being played on a Sunday since the inception of Test cricket! pic.twitter.com/UjWhPyZ2T5

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 15, 2017

Today in 1933 at the Bombay Gymkhana: the 3rd day of the Test match btw #IndvEng saw play on a Sunday, the first time ever in Test cricket history!
Also the only occasion in Test history when two batsmen (Bryan Valentine & Lala Amarnath) reached their debut 100s on same day!

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 17, 2017

Sadly for the spirited spectators in the stadium, it was the visitors who went on to win that match by nine wickets. However, as history suggests, it was Indian cricket that was the real winner.