Arun Lal heals from a cricketing background. Playing cricket is in the family genealogy of Arun Lal. Indeed, Jagadish Lal, his father; Muni Lal, his uncle; and Akash Lal, his cousin; all were famous cricketers of Ranji Trophy cricket.
Born on 1st August, 1955, in Moradabad District of Uttar Pradesh in India, Arun Lal, the right-hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, appeased the expectations of his family-members, by choosing cricket as his profession.
Arun Lal strove endlessly to furnish Indian cricket with the wealth of his innate talents. Indian cricket, ranging from 1982 to 1989 had featured him as a promising cricketer. His deeds, although at the international sphere of cricket, might not be that mind-blowing, but he was simply dazzling in the domestic circuit. His Ranji aggregate amounts to 6760 runs, made at an average of 53.23.
Cricket Career of Arun Lal
Arun Lal has cast himself in six seasons for Delhi. But none of his performances were remarkable enough to linger in a cricket-lover`s memory. His shift to Calcutta (presently Kolkata) in West Bengal could be reckoned as the turning point in his playing career.
He got the invitation to his first play Test match against Sri Lanka at Madras (in Chennai) in 1982. Arun Lal shot to the limelight in his debut at the age of 27, relatively a late start for a sports profession. Arun Lal landed up with a resplendent 63 in his debut innings. However, the expedition to Pakistan was not that prolific for Arun Lal. A lot of the players, including a few of the veteran ones, could not stand before the dashing Imran Khan. Staying steady even during his bad patch over four years, he retained the necessary composure to bloom into a booming feat in the 1986-87 seasons. He stormed the Ranji pre-quarters and the Duleep Trophy semi-finals with the fascinating showers of huge as well as the same score of 287.
When Sunil Gavaskar`s had declared to remain absent for a particular Test against Pakistan, Arun Lal was entrusted with the responsibility to fill in the blank. The diligent Arun Lal executed his assignment, as best as possible. He came up with two colourful half-centuries.
Arun Lal, was given the opportunity to continue in eleven more Tests, owing to Sunil Gavaskar`s retirement.
Arun Lal`s campaign against the West Indies, in his own country, produced his crowning Test glory of 93 at Kolkata. Arun Lal possesses a statistical splendour of 7 fifties in Tests.
Curiously enough, Arun Lal`s last international Test was also against the same rival squad in 1989.
But the closing down of one vista, resulted in the unfolding of a purple patch in Arun`s life. The acme of perfection in Arun Lal`s career was reached in the 1989-90 season of Ranji season. Bengal emerged victorious after 51 long years, while Arun Lal luxuriated in the marvellous 189, stupefying the opponent Bombay cricket battalion.
An industrious batsman like, Arun Lal, had the tenacity to hit 10,000 runs, quite a noteworthy record in domestic cricket. His topmost score happened to be 287, and his batting average is the high 46.94.
Batting and Fielding Averages
|
Mat |
Inns |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
BF |
SR |
100 |
50 |
4s |
6s |
Ct |
St |
Tests |
16 |
29 |
1 |
729 |
93 |
26.03 |
|
|
0 |
6 |
|
0 |
13 |
0 |
ODIs |
13 |
13 |
0 |
122 |
51 |
9.38 |
232 |
52.58 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
First-class |
156 |
240 |
18 |
10421 |
287 |
46.94 |
|
|
30 |
43 |
|
|
145 |
0 |
List A |
65 |
64 |
4 |
1734 |
90 |
28.90 |
|
|
0 |
12 |
|
|
22 |
0 |
Bowling Averages
|
Mat |
Inns |
Balls |
Runs |
Wkts |
BBI |
BBM |
Ave |
Econ |
SR |
4w |
5w |
10 |
Tests |
16 |
3 |
16 |
7 |
0 |
- |
- |
- |
2.62 |
- |
0 |
0 |
0 |
ODIs |
13 |
- |
|
|
|
- |
- |
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
First-class |
156 |
|
1856 |
931 |
21 |
4/79 |
|
44.33 |
3.00 |
88.3 |
|
0 |
0 |
List A |
65 |
|
699 |
571 |
14 |
3/38 |
3/38 |
40.78 |
4.90 |
49.9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Life After Retirement for Arun Lal
Arun Lal has entered the world of media-entertainment and television. This resourceful man works as a fabulous commentator and cricket-analyst. He has tried his hand in sports-writing also. He is a regular writer of the sports column in leading newspapers, and internet sites.
He is also imparting his experience in cricket to the bright youngsters of today, by running a cricket academy in Kolkata, with utmost commitment. A cricket lover like Arun Lal strengthens the foundation of
Indian cricket.