Raman Lamba died on this day, 1998.
Lamba was my childhood hero. Or at least one of my childhood heroes.
He was not the greatest batter who ever lived, far from it. But he made cricket look very, very easy.
He was a filmstar trapped in a cricketer's body.
+
Lamba was my childhood hero. Or at least one of my childhood heroes.
He was not the greatest batter who ever lived, far from it. But he made cricket look very, very easy.
He was a filmstar trapped in a cricketer's body.
+
He enthralled me on debut, at Kanpur. Australia set India 251.
A huge ODI target by mid-1980s standards.
Lamba emerged after Sunil Gavaskar scored a painstaking 26.
He treated the Australian bowlers like club cricketers.
His 64 took 53 balls.
+
A huge ODI target by mid-1980s standards.
Lamba emerged after Sunil Gavaskar scored a painstaking 26.
He treated the Australian bowlers like club cricketers.
His 64 took 53 balls.
+
I used to sit on the floor while watching cricket despite there being elevated alternatives.
I am not sure why I did that. Perhaps I was superstitious.
But I remember standing up to clap at every Lamba shot that day.
The most outrageous, a six over point off Craig McDermott.
+
I am not sure why I did that. Perhaps I was superstitious.
But I remember standing up to clap at every Lamba shot that day.
The most outrageous, a six over point off Craig McDermott.
+
Coaches used to stop cricketers from playing those shots in those days.
There have been superior batters, but few had such flair.
At times he made cricket matches looked like film studios where he strode out as the swankiest action hero ever born.
+
There have been superior batters, but few had such flair.
At times he made cricket matches looked like film studios where he strode out as the swankiest action hero ever born.
+
Every step he took on the field oozed of exuberance.
Every bit of him, from his locks to his swagger, was full of style.
The only reason he did not get enough runs at the highest level was probably because he never knew to curb his strokes.
They all came so easily to him.
+
Every bit of him, from his locks to his swagger, was full of style.
The only reason he did not get enough runs at the highest level was probably because he never knew to curb his strokes.
They all came so easily to him.
+
Three matches after that debut he scored a 68-ball 74.
Five days later he scored a hundred.
Lamba was named Player of the Series. It was the first time he was playing international cricket.
He dominated a side that would win the World Cup in a year's time.
+
Five days later he scored a hundred.
Lamba was named Player of the Series. It was the first time he was playing international cricket.
He dominated a side that would win the World Cup in a year's time.
+
He was also an electric fielder, just like Mohammad Azharuddin, another of my childhood heroes.
But while Azhar's coolness would develop over time, Lamba was charismatic from day one.
And then Lamba vanished.
+
But while Azhar's coolness would develop over time, Lamba was charismatic from day one.
And then Lamba vanished.
+
His first 6 ODIs had got him 278 runs at 56.
His last 20, another 505 at 21. It made no sense.
There was one final hurrah, in the 1989 Nehru Cup, where he scored 3 fifties in 4 matches.
He was supposed to play the Karachi Test, where Tendulkar debuted.
+
His last 20, another 505 at 21. It made no sense.
There was one final hurrah, in the 1989 Nehru Cup, where he scored 3 fifties in 4 matches.
He was supposed to play the Karachi Test, where Tendulkar debuted.
+
But he opted out at the last moment following an injury.
Azhar replaced him. Indian cricket changed forever.
Lamba was in the news twice in the following year, 1990.
He married Kim Crothers, an Irishwoman.
And Rashid Patel chased Lamba with a stump in a Duleep Trophy match.
+
Azhar replaced him. Indian cricket changed forever.
Lamba was in the news twice in the following year, 1990.
He married Kim Crothers, an Irishwoman.
And Rashid Patel chased Lamba with a stump in a Duleep Trophy match.
+
And then, I stopped hearing of him. No internet, remember?
I grew up, too. Board examination happened. Then college.
But Lamba never gave up cricket.
He became a superstar in Dhaka club cricket (but then, he was a superstar everywhere).
+
I grew up, too. Board examination happened. Then college.
But Lamba never gave up cricket.
He became a superstar in Dhaka club cricket (but then, he was a superstar everywhere).
+
It was perhaps not the best way for my hero to fade out.
But Lamba wasn't meant to fade out.
While fielding very close at short-leg, he was hit by a pull from Mehrab Hossain.
The impact took his life.
He died in action.
Like a hero in a movie.
But Lamba wasn't meant to fade out.
While fielding very close at short-leg, he was hit by a pull from Mehrab Hossain.
The impact took his life.
He died in action.
Like a hero in a movie.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
