MUMBAI: Former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak visited Parsee Gymkhana at Marine Drive in Mumbai on Sunday morning to play tennis ball cricket. The landmark gymkhana, the first such community sports club to come up on the city’s coast in the late 19th century, celebrates its 140th anniversary this month.
History turned a full circle as Sunak went to the crease. In 2022, when he became the first person of Indian origin – indeed the first non-white person – to occupy the post of Britain’s PM, headlines around the world screamed: ‘The Empire Strikes Back’. More on that theme played out on Sunday when he faced local boys on land that was acquired by the gymkhana from the colonial govt at the height of its power.
“Great to be here at the Parsee Gymkhana club (to mark its) 140th year anniversary celebrations. What extraordinary achievement. So much history here and so much exciting stuff to come. I managed not to get out too many times this morning. Thanks for having me and I look forward to coming back,” said Sunak, who met gymkhana members and interacted with boy scouts.
Khodadad Yazdegardi, gymkhana vice-president and its cricket secretary, said, “When we heard that Sunak was going to the Oval Maidan, a common friend arranged his visit to the gymkhana. We gave him a brief history of the gymkhana and how the land was acquired from the British govt. We told him about the first Indian cricket team, all Parsis, that went to play in England in 1886.”
Sunak spent about 45 minutes at the gymkhana and also met boys from the 16th East Zoroastrian Bharat Scout group, who assemble on the grounds on Sundays. “His batting stance showed that he must have been a cricket player in his youth,” Yazdegardi said about Sunak.
“No trip to Mumbai would be complete without a game of tennis ball cricket,” Sunak posted on X. He proceeded to CCI at Churchgate for breakfast and was scheduled to watch the India-England T20 match at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday evening.
Born to parents of Indian descent who emigrated to Britain from East Africa, Sunak was the youngest PM of the UK in over 200 years. His term lasted nearly two years until Nov 2024 when the Labour Party swept the elections. He remains a Conservative MP, having stepped down as leader of the opposition.