Raman Lamba

Raman Lamba

File:Ramanlambadelhi1.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Raman Lamba
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	India
Test debut	17 January 1986 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	25 November 1987 v West Indies
ODI debut	7 October 1986 v Australia
Last ODI	22 December 1989 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1980–1998	Delhi
1980–1991	North Zone
1990	Ireland
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC Matches 4 32 121 Runs scored 102 783 8776 Batting average 20.40 27.00 53.86 100s/50s -/1 1/6 31/27 Top score 53 102 320 Balls bowled 19 816 Wickets 1 6 Bowling average 20.00 70.50 5 wickets in innings 0 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 1/9 2/9 Catches/stumpings 5/- 10/- 60/0
Source: CricketArchive, 12 September 2011

Raman Lamba (2 January 1960 in Uttar Pradesh – 23 February 1998 in Dhaka) was an Indian cricketer 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.

Profile

Born on 2nd January 1960 at Meerut, he was a right-handed bat. His pride 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.

International cricket

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 Qadir 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 aggressive batting approach as openers was later adopted by opening pair Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana in 1996 world cup.

50's and 100's

1. vs Australia 1986 scored 64
2. vs Australia 1986 scored 74
3. vs Australia 1986 scored 102
4. vs Sri Lanka 1987 scored 60not out
5. vs West Indies 1989 scored 61
6. vs Australia 1989 scored 57
7. 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 Azharuddin replaced him.

50's

1. vs Sri Lanka 1987 scored 53 Second Test

Death

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. He had skipped the Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu because of a toothache and flown to Dhaka following calls to play that match for Abahani Krira Chakra against Mohammedan Sporting.

File:RLambaAd.jpg

Raman Lamba cuts Geoff Lawson as non striker Srikkanth watches the action. Lamba made 57 as India won by 3 wickets against Australia on 27.10.1989

There were tributes from all over the World when he died. His wife Kim, paid him tribute when she put the Sonnet Club cap on Lamba.

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.