Lala Amarnath was a complete player as he could bat brilliantly, bowl shrewdly and keep wickets skillfully. Also, he was born to lead any team. On the day of his birth centenary, DNA pays tribute to the man who went on to become Indian cricket’s patriarchal figure.
In almost every field of human activity, there are some who appear to be irresistible regardless of their little foibles. It is the spark of their forceful personality which gives them a special appeal. You may admire them, you may dislike them, but you find it difficult to ignore them. Lala Amarnath was such a man.
Though inevitably controversial because of his outspokenness, he was both charismatic and colourful at the same time. There was a touch of dynamism and an unmistakable aura of confidence and pride about him that defined his individuality.
If ever there was a man in Indian cricket who was his own master, it was the majestic Lala — both on and off the field.
Everything about Lala was on a grand scale. They called him the stormy petrel of Indian cricket. He fully deserved the label. Proud as a peacock, Lala knew what he was capable of doing when armed with bat or ball. He was a complete cricketer as he could bat brilliantly and stylishly, bowl shrewdly and even keep wickets skillfully. Also, he was born to lead any team, any set of players.
Hailed as a “pure romantic” and the “Byron of Indian cricket”, Lala had an unspectacular start to his career as he could score only 19 runs in his first four first-class innings between January 1930 and January 1932.
His listless run continued when he made five and 21 in his next two innings, for Northern India, in a two-day friendly game against the MCC in 1933-34. But he soon came into his own and offered glimpses of his class to the visitors by scoring a century (109) for Southern Punjab and a half-century (53) for Patiala. It was a foregone conclusion after these performances that Lala would make his Test debut against the Englishmen.
And he continued to feast on the English bowlers in the first Test in Mumbai. Though he did not play a big knock, his 38 was the top score in India’s 219. And England’s lead was identical. India was in all sorts of trouble on the third day (December 17) when “Nobby” Clark consumed both openers for 21. In walked captain CK Nayudu to join Lala. It was at this stage that Lala took control of the situation and began hammering the bowlers all round the wicket. Neither fast bowlers Clark and Morris Nichols nor spinners Hedley Verity and James Langridge could make any impact on him as four after four flowed from his blazing blade. He was particularly severe on Verity.
He raced to his and India’s maiden Test hundred in 117 minutes. It triggered off celebrations in the Indian dressing room and the stands. The band began playing God save the King. A delighted Nayudu (who added 186 runs for the third wicket with Lala), was the first to congratulate the young centurion.
A number of spectators carrying garlands rushed to the pitch and “engulfed” the hero of the day. At stumps, India looked comfortably placed with both Amarnath and Nayudu still unconquered.
As he said afterwards, he batted “as if possessed by some mysterious power”. Many commentators felt that the presence of Nayudu at the other end had much to do with Lala’s batting. While it may have been true, it called for genuine talent and confidence to play the way he did. But Lala had oodles of them.
By the close of play, a delirious crowd had gathered in front of the Bombay Gymkhana marquee, refusing to leave until Lala came out and greeted them. Some women cascaded him with jewellery.
Lala had become larger than life that day and was hailed as a national hero. The Maharajas of Baroda and Kolhapur made gifts of money and gold. A millionaire presented Lala with a car while another gave him Rs1 lakh. He was also presented with a gold cup on behalf of the Bombay Club.
Cricket lovers did not stop basking in the euphoria of Lala’s heroic innings in spite of the fact that India collapsed the next day and were all out for 258 after being 207 for three when Nichols dismissed Nayudu for 67. Lala, too, returned to the pavilion at the score of 208, when Nichols caught him off Clark for 118 as a result of a mistimed hook. Lala’s innings was studded with 21 fours. England won by nine wickets.
Though he played several cameos at crucial junctures in his chequered Test career, Lala could never repeat, let alone better, his debut performance. He would excel more as an all rounder. It was never easy to score off Lala’s immaculate medium-paced stuff. He appeared to deliver the ball off the wrong foot. Sharp in-swingers, mixed with deadly leg-cutters, had fetched him many wickets. He was close to a hat-trick in the first Test at Lord’s in 1946, when he dismissed Len Hutton (7) and Denis Compton (0) off successive deliveries; and finished with Cyril Washbrook (27), Wally Hammond (33) and Thomas Smailes (25) for figures of five for 118 from 57 overs. In the second at Old Trafford, too, he had attractive figures of 51-17-96-5 and 30-9-71-3.
On the same tour, he had a memorable match against Derbyshire at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield. He scored 17 in the first innings. He kept wickets in Derbyshire’s entire innings. When India batted again, Lala scored more than a run a minute and made a whirlwind 89 before being bowled by medium-pacer Clifford Gladwin.
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