Name Hindi: रमन लांबा / Gender Man
Raman Lamba: A Profound Legacy in Cricket
Raman Lamba, often remembered for his fearless approach towards cricket and charismatic personality off the field, was a prominent Indian cricketer who played from the mid-1980s till his untimely death in 1998. Born on January 2, 1960, in Meerut, India, Raman’s love for cricket emerged at an early age, prompting him to dedicate his life to mastering the sport.
Early Life and Family
Raised in a middle-class family in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Raman exhibited immense passion for cricket as a child. Despite facing strenuous circumstances due to financial issues in the family, nothing could deter his determination to play professional cricket.
Career Achievements
Lamba made significant contributions to Indian cricket during his career. Some of his noteworthy achievements include:
- First-Class Career: He had a spectacular first-class career playing over 121 matches where he scored more than 8776 runs at an average of 53.84 including twenty-nine hundreds.
- International Debut: He made his test debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo on September 17th, 1986.
- Duleep Trophy Record: In the Duleep Trophy Final between North Zone and West Zone held in 1987–88 season, he scored an unbeaten knock of 320 running the entire day which remained highest score by an Indian batsman until V.V.S Laxman scored 353 in Ranji Trophy.
- Ireland Cricket Career: After moving to Ireland, he became a dominant player in the local leagues where he scored about 60 centuries over ten years.
End of Career and Untimely Death
In 1998, whilst fielding during a match in Bangladesh’s Dhaka Premier Division cricket, Lamba was struck on the temple by a cricket ball. He collapsed later in the dressing room and slipped into coma, which took his life three days later. His untimely death sent shockwaves through the international cricket community.
Legacy
Raman Lamba’s dedication to the sport has left an unforgettable mark in the world of cricket. Despite not being able to achieve significant heights at an International level, whether it was for North Zone or Delhi in domestic cricket or Abahani Krira Chakra club in Bangladeshi league, there were but few who could match his run-scoring appetite. After his tragic passing away, Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh named a trophy after him as “Raman Lamba Trophy” to pay tribute to this flamboyant cricketer.
In conclusion, Raman Lamba will always be remembered as one of Indian Cricket’s greats whose love for the game even led him towards sacrificing his safety while playing thus etching his name forever into India’s rich tapestry of cricket lore.
