Remembering Lala Amarnath on His Death Anniversary: August 5th marks the anniversary of the death of the legendary cricketer Lala Amarnath. Today is his death anniversary. Lala Amarnath will always be remembered as India’s first Test century-scorer and independent India’s first Test captain. He shaped Indian cricket through his play, leadership, and contributions.
Family and early life
Lala Amarnath was born on September 11, 1911, in Kapurthala, Punjab. He lost his mother as a child and was raised by his aunt in Lahore. Despite financial difficulties and limited resources, he persevered in his dream of playing cricket. Even though there were no good training facilities at the time, he worked hard on local grounds and made a name for himself.
Personal life and three promising sons
Lala Amarnath’s personal life was also deeply rooted in cricket. He married Kailash Kumari and had three sons, Mohinder Amarnath, Surinder Amarnath, and Rajinder Amarnath. Mohinder and Surinder also played international cricket for India. Mohinder Amarnath, in particular, carried forward the family legacy by playing a key role in India’s 1983 World Cup victory.
Lala Amarnath (Source: Social Media)
Lala Amarnath’s cricketing journey
In the 1933 Test match against England played at the Bombay Gymkhana, he played a brilliant innings of 118 runs. With this, he became the first Indian batsman to score a century in Test cricket. This achievement will always be remembered in the history of Indian cricket. After India gained independence in 1947, he was given the captaincy of the Indian Test team on the tour of Australia. He became the first Test captain of independent India. His captaincy and aggressive thinking gave Indian cricket a new identity.
Even after retiring from cricket in 1952, Lala Amarnath remained involved in the game. He served as a national selector, team manager, and coach. He was also one of India’s earliest and most popular radio cricket commentators. His outspoken opinions and deep understanding of cricket earned him widespread respect.
Lala Amarnath’s Test cricket statistics-
| Category | figures |
|---|---|
| match | 24 |
| innings | 40 |
| Run | 858 |
| Highest Score | 118 |
| Batting average | 24.51 |
| Centuries/Fifties | 1 / 4 |
| wicket | 55 |
| Best bowling | 9/65 |
| Bowling average | 32.91 |
First-class cricket (career domestic) statistics-
| Category | figures |
|---|---|
| match | 186 |
| Run | 10,426 |
| Highest Score | 262 |
| Batting average | 41.37 |
| century | 31 |
| wicket | 463 |
| Best bowling | 7/14 |
| Bowling average | 22.94 |
Lala Amarnath Award
In 1991, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third highest civilian award. He died on August 5, 2000, in New Delhi at the age of 88. His contributions to Indian cricket live on forever.
Even today, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honors players who excel in domestic cricket with the Lala Amarnath Award. His death anniversary is an occasion to remember this legendary figure who gave India its first significant recognition in Test cricket.