Cricket was introduced to India by the British East India Company in the early 18th century, with the first recorded instance of cricket being played in India dating back to 1721. The British expatriates and sailors played cricket, and it gradually gained popularity among Indians, especially through community-based cricket clubs such as the Parsee club founded in 1848. One of the most influential figures in early Indian cricket history was Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja, also known as Ranji, who is often considered the "Father of Indian Cricket." Ranji popularized a distinctive style of batting and played a significant role in raising the profile of cricket in India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Thus, cricket was not "invented" in India but was brought and established there by the British, and Indian cricket developed from that foundation, with pioneers like Sir Ranjitsinhji contributing importantly to its growth and popularity in the country.