Raman Lamba
Encyclopedia
Raman Lamba was an Indian cricket
er who played in four Tests
and 32 One Day Internationals, mainly as a batsman died in the Post Graduate Hospital in Dhaka in Bangladesh after three days of vain efforts by a team of doctors, ever since he was seriously hit on the forehead by a full blooded pull by Mehrab Hossain
off left arm spinner Saifullah Khan while fielding at forward short leg, without a helmet, for Dhaka's leading club, Abahani Krira Chakra, in the final of the Premier Division cricket match versus Mohammendan Sporting Club at the Dhaka Bangabandhu Stadium. The shot was so ferocious that the ball deflected from his head and flew into stumper Khaled Mashud
' s gloves. Mohammad Aminul Islam
, the former Bangladesh captain, recalled "I was the new man in and asked Raman if he was okay. He said, 'Bulli (Islam's nickname is Bulbul) main to mar gaya' (I am dead, Bulli). Although the injury did not appear to be particularly serious, he suffered an internal haemorrhage and slipped into coma. Despite a neurosurgeon being flown in from Delhi, all efforts went in vain and finally his ventilator was removed declaring him dead.
off Kapil Dev
, where he played as substitute fielder. He had a great opening in One day cricket as he scored 64 in his first match and 102 in his sixth match as he won the man of the series against Australia for scoring 278 runs at an average of 55.60 per innings with a century and 2 fifties. His scoring pattern in 6 innings were 64, 01, 20*, 74, 17 and 102. Lamba and Krishnamachari Srikkanth
were India's openers for the Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary Cup 1989. Twice they had 100 runs opening partnership, against Australia and Pakistan. Their approach was similar, as both were stroke players. Their aggessive batting approach as openers was later seen in opening pair Sanath Jayasuriya
and Romesh Kaluwitharana
.
replaced him.
was to say later. The impact was strong enough to leave Lamba with a fatal blow and the game had, for the first time ever, claimed a victim. History is full of instances when players have been struck on the head but fortunately none suffered the ill-fate of Lamba. Nari Contractor
waged a brave bettle in the West Indies to survive a severe blow to his skull even though his cricket suffered. But Lamba's case was a shattering experience.
For the cricket fraternity in Delhi, the news that Lamba was hit in Dhaka came as a shock because very few knew that, he was away from Delhi. He had skipped the Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu because of a toothache and flown to Dhaka following innumerable calls to play that important match for Abahani Krira Chakra against Mohammedan Sporting. Who could have imagined it would happen to be his final journey. None of his mates at the airport could believe the body wrapped in the coffin was cheerful Lamba who only the other day had expressed hopes of playing for the country one final time. Lamba was a gutsy cricketer who never believed he could ened up losing. No, he would never say die in any situation. Manoj Prabhakar was inconsolable when he heard of Lamba' death. "I hate defeat and tears." Lamba would say. In fact, he could not remember when he wept last. Life, for Lamba, was a fascinating journey of struggle, which in turn would lead to joy. He was nearing one of his cherished ambitions, to own a house, when he died. He had been working hard on furnishing his new house on the outskirts of delhi. "You must see my house" Lamba had said during Delhi's match against Bengal at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Well, that moment never came.
Lamba's cricketing career was full of ups and downs but never short of quality or courage. the two triple centuries he hit in first class matches is a feat worth emulating. It spoke of Lamba's devotion to the game and was a tribute to his skills. He never claimed he was the best. It was always his endeavour to beat the youngsters and not because he had any point to prove. "Being with them and being than some of them makes me feel younger," he would say. A pity that he died so young. Lamba was very particular about his clothes and his cricket gear. His wardrobe wore a young look."Why not? I am still young enough to play for the country. Why don't you people write about me. I can still open for India, " he used to say. It was this ambition that kept him going when many of his age group had quit. Lamba was a distinguished cricketer. A true professional, he never required prodding from his skipper to give his best." I always give more than hundred per cent," Lamba maintained. And give he did. It was evident in that act of his at Dhaka, where he was revered as a living legend. Not known to field at shortleg, he moved up to that position for that one fatal moment. The substitute was ready with the helmet on the boundary line, but Lamba is said to have beckoned him to wait. It was the last ball of that over, And, as it tragically turned out to be, Lamba's last too.
There were tributes from all over the World when he died. His wife Kim, paid him the most moving tribute when she put the Sonnet Club cap on Lamba. The final journey for this cricketer had to be as a cricketer. Lamba was always loyal to his club, state and country and the cricketing fraternity acknowledged his friendly cricketer's contributions to the game by turning up in a large number for his funeral.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played in four Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and 32 One Day Internationals, mainly as a batsman died in the Post Graduate Hospital in Dhaka in Bangladesh after three days of vain efforts by a team of doctors, ever since he was seriously hit on the forehead by a full blooded pull by Mehrab Hossain
Mehrab Hossain
Mehrab Hossain is a Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 9 Tests and 18 ODIs from 1998 to 2003.Mehrab is associated with an extremely unfortunate incident. On 20 February 1998, Raman Lamba, formerly a Delhi swashbuckling opening batsman, fielding close to the bat, copped one on the skull off the...
off left arm spinner Saifullah Khan while fielding at forward short leg, without a helmet, for Dhaka's leading club, Abahani Krira Chakra, in the final of the Premier Division cricket match versus Mohammendan Sporting Club at the Dhaka Bangabandhu Stadium. The shot was so ferocious that the ball deflected from his head and flew into stumper Khaled Mashud
Khaled Mashud
Khaled Mashud is a Bangladeshi cricketer. A wicketkeeper and more than a useful middle order batsman, he was a regular member of the national team between 1995-2007. Bangladeshi coach Dav Whatmore has gone so far as to claim Mashud as the best wicketkeeper in Asia.-Early Days:Mashud played for...
' s gloves. Mohammad Aminul Islam
Aminul Islam
Aminul Islam Bulbul is a Bangladeshi cricketer who played in 13 Tests and 39 ODIs from 1988 to 2002.Aminul scored the first hundred for the Bangladesh cricket team when Bangladesh played their first Test against India...
, the former Bangladesh captain, recalled "I was the new man in and asked Raman if he was okay. He said, 'Bulli (Islam's nickname is Bulbul) main to mar gaya' (I am dead, Bulli). Although the injury did not appear to be particularly serious, he suffered an internal haemorrhage and slipped into coma. Despite a neurosurgeon being flown in from Delhi, all efforts went in vain and finally his ventilator was removed declaring him dead.
Profile
Born on 2nd January 1960 at Meerut, he was a right-handed bat. His prode was his fitness and that gave him the feeling that he could serve Delhi till his age of 45 and his club Sonnet till he reached his half century. Commencing his Ranji Trphy career in 1980-81, he continued playing in the championship in the season 1997-98, till he breathed his last. He scored 6362 runs at an average of 53.91 in 87 matches, scoring 22 centuries including 5 double centuries and his career highest of 312 versus Himachal Pradesh at Delhi in 1994-95, which is not only his personal highest score but it is one among the highest individual scores for Delhi. He aggregated 1034 runs in 10 matches at an average of 73.86 with 3 centuries and 4 half centuries in the season 1994-95 which was also a record in Ranji Trophy of scoring the maximum runs in a Ranji season. He led Delhi in 8 matches in the season 1994-95, winning 3 and drawing 5. His 320 in the Duleep Trophy for North Zone against West Zone in the final at Bhilai in 1986-87 still remains among highest individual scores till date.One day cricket
Raman Lamba appeared for India as a one day player in the 1986 Australasia Cup final, when he also took an acrobatic catch to dismiss Abdul QadirAbdul Qadir (cricketer)
Abdul Qadir Khan is a former Pakistani international cricketer, later commentator and was recently the Chief Selector of Pakistan Cricket Board. He resigned from the post because of his differences with the top brass of Pakistan cricket board...
off Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj , better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup...
, where he played as substitute fielder. He had a great opening in One day cricket as he scored 64 in his first match and 102 in his sixth match as he won the man of the series against Australia for scoring 278 runs at an average of 55.60 per innings with a century and 2 fifties. His scoring pattern in 6 innings were 64, 01, 20*, 74, 17 and 102. Lamba and Krishnamachari Srikkanth
Krishnamachari Srikkanth
Krishnamachari Srikkanth is a former captain of the Indian cricket team and the current chairman of the selection committee...
were India's openers for the Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary Cup 1989. Twice they had 100 runs opening partnership, against Australia and Pakistan. Their approach was similar, as both were stroke players. Their aggessive batting approach as openers was later seen in opening pair Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
and Romesh Kaluwitharana
Romesh Kaluwitharana
Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played in 49 Test and 189 ODIs from 1990 to 2004...
.
50's and 100's
- vs Australia 1986 scored 64
- vs Australia 1986 scored 74
- vs Australia 1986 scored 102
- vs Sri Lanka 1987 scored 60not out
- vs West Indies 1989 scored 61
- vs Australia 1989 scored 57
- vs Pakistan 1989 scored 57
Test cricket
Raman lamba, had a moderate start at an average of 33.67 against the Srilankans, but failed the only test against the West Indies scoring just one run in two innings which virtually ended his career as a Test player. He did made a come back to test cricket playing XI against Pakistan in 1989, but injured his finger during nets and couldn't play in the match as Mohammad AzharuddinMohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin also known as Azhar, is an Indian politician and former cricketer. He was an accomplished batsman and captained the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990s, until his involvement in a match-fixing scandal forced him into retirement...
replaced him.
Shocking end of a brave cricketer
Raman Lamba's death on the cricket field was the most tragic episode in the history of the game. There have been occasions when players have been hit and ruled out for battles, but never had death occurred to a cricketer on the field. "Let us remembers Raman Lamba and wear a helmet," implores a hoarding. In hindsight, so much can be said but when he stood for that one moment bare-headed at the short leg in that match at Dhaka, little anyone would have imagined the grave consequences of his act. The ball struck Lamba hard. "I could hear the sound outside," his mate Sanjeev SharmaSanjeev Sharma
Sanjeev Kumar Sharma is a former Indian cricketer who played in 2 Tests and 23 ODIs from 1988 to 1990....
was to say later. The impact was strong enough to leave Lamba with a fatal blow and the game had, for the first time ever, claimed a victim. History is full of instances when players have been struck on the head but fortunately none suffered the ill-fate of Lamba. Nari Contractor
Nari Contractor
Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor is a former cricket player. He was left-handed opening batsman whose international career was ended abruptly by a serious injury....
waged a brave bettle in the West Indies to survive a severe blow to his skull even though his cricket suffered. But Lamba's case was a shattering experience.
For the cricket fraternity in Delhi, the news that Lamba was hit in Dhaka came as a shock because very few knew that, he was away from Delhi. He had skipped the Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu because of a toothache and flown to Dhaka following innumerable calls to play that important match for Abahani Krira Chakra against Mohammedan Sporting. Who could have imagined it would happen to be his final journey. None of his mates at the airport could believe the body wrapped in the coffin was cheerful Lamba who only the other day had expressed hopes of playing for the country one final time. Lamba was a gutsy cricketer who never believed he could ened up losing. No, he would never say die in any situation. Manoj Prabhakar was inconsolable when he heard of Lamba' death. "I hate defeat and tears." Lamba would say. In fact, he could not remember when he wept last. Life, for Lamba, was a fascinating journey of struggle, which in turn would lead to joy. He was nearing one of his cherished ambitions, to own a house, when he died. He had been working hard on furnishing his new house on the outskirts of delhi. "You must see my house" Lamba had said during Delhi's match against Bengal at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Well, that moment never came.
Lamba's cricketing career was full of ups and downs but never short of quality or courage. the two triple centuries he hit in first class matches is a feat worth emulating. It spoke of Lamba's devotion to the game and was a tribute to his skills. He never claimed he was the best. It was always his endeavour to beat the youngsters and not because he had any point to prove. "Being with them and being than some of them makes me feel younger," he would say. A pity that he died so young. Lamba was very particular about his clothes and his cricket gear. His wardrobe wore a young look."Why not? I am still young enough to play for the country. Why don't you people write about me. I can still open for India, " he used to say. It was this ambition that kept him going when many of his age group had quit. Lamba was a distinguished cricketer. A true professional, he never required prodding from his skipper to give his best." I always give more than hundred per cent," Lamba maintained. And give he did. It was evident in that act of his at Dhaka, where he was revered as a living legend. Not known to field at shortleg, he moved up to that position for that one fatal moment. The substitute was ready with the helmet on the boundary line, but Lamba is said to have beckoned him to wait. It was the last ball of that over, And, as it tragically turned out to be, Lamba's last too.
There were tributes from all over the World when he died. His wife Kim, paid him the most moving tribute when she put the Sonnet Club cap on Lamba. The final journey for this cricketer had to be as a cricketer. Lamba was always loyal to his club, state and country and the cricketing fraternity acknowledged his friendly cricketer's contributions to the game by turning up in a large number for his funeral.
Fierce Professional
Lamba was a gentleman, even though he was a fierce professional on the field. Nothing could perturb him and the fact that he was felled by a ball was the most shocking and unbelievable thing. "I have lot of plans" he said during that match against Bengal, but could never unfold them. He always advocated others to be brave, dedicated and loyal to the game. he did set examples as one can see from his eventful career. He also advocated the youngsters to take extra care of their kit bag and the protective equipment. The helmet in particular. Sadly he forgot, for one cruel moment, what he preached. It was a loss which will never be filled. Raman Lamba shall always be remembered. He truly was an inspirational figure. The Delhi dressing room will not be the same. Neither will be Delhi cricket, not to speak of the loss to his family-wife Kim and children.Trivia
- On his first tour abroad to England in 1986, he was involved in the unique incident of 12 players on the field for one full over of ravi shastri in the second test against England at Leeds, when as a substitute to K.Srikkanth, he remained on the field though Srikkanth had already arrived on the field quietly, without requesting Raman Lamba to go back to the pavilion. Umpires too were unaware of Srikkanth's arrival on the field throughout the 6-ball over in which, fortunately, nothing untoward took place on the field.
- Just as he could not play a test on the tour of England in 1986, he missed a test a Test on his next tour of Pakistan in 1989-90 due to finger injury in the morning of first test.
- He was involved in one more controversial incident. He had a wordy friction with West Zone cricketer Rashid Patel on the field of play during the Duleep Trophy match at Jamshedpur in 1990-91. The Board of Control for Cricket in India 9 BCCI) debarred both the players from playing in any first-class cricket match, for one season, as a punishment to these cricketers.