Only a few people know that the origin of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can be traced to February 1927 when a rather casual discussion gave birth to the idea of national cricket governing body. At that time, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) captain AER Gilligan was on a tour of India. He joined the historic discussion along with British businessman RE Grant Govan and Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala over cups of tea at Delhi’s Roshanara Gardens. It was 10 months after this meeting in December 1927, BCCI came into being.

Since BCCI was finding tough to materialize the idea of forming the country’s premier domestic tournament due to paucity of funds, Maharaja of Patiala came in rescue. He donated £500 to the cause. The Persians recognizing his patronage named country’s foremost first-class tournament after his good friend Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, the great cricketer Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja.

It was a perfect decision because Ranji was the first cricketer of Indian origin who made a buzz in England, the home of cricket. A right-handed batsman of sheer brilliance, Ranji, scored 24,692 runs at an average of 56.37 in 307 first-class matches while plying his trade for Sussex, London County and Cambridge University respectively. He also played 15 Tests for England. The first season of Ranji Trophy was played in 1934–35.