Throughout its long and distinguished history, Wisden has reported on Indian cricket around the world and commented on its highs and lows. One of the first references to a touring Indian cricket side was in 1889: 'Perhaps the most notable feature of the tour was the wonderfully successful bowing of Mr Pavri, who took 170 wickets at a cost of under 12 runs each'.

For a time, India enjoyed a golden age of cricket, largely through Lord Hawke's tours in the 1890s and then buoyed up by the exploits of Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji who was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1897. But there were set-backs to come, such as the team's 1953 'Worst Start in Test Cricket' which saw Trueman scythe through their top order at Headingley to leave the team in disrepair at 0 for 4 wickets after 14 balls. Recent decades have seen formidable players such as Ganguly, Laxman, Sehway, Dravid and Tendulkar lift India's game to great heights, making them a force to be reckoned with.

This anthology charts the progress of India through Wisden's pages, using match reports, articles, notes, obituaries and illustrations to bring this extraordinary team - and their equally extraordinary nation - to vivid and delightful life.