Raman Lamba was a former Indian Cricket player, born on January 2, 1960 in Uttar Pradesh. Raman Lamba played in four Tests and 32 One Day Internationals, mainly as a batsman. Raman Lamba represented Ireland in unofficial One Day International matches.
Early Life of Raman Lamba
Born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Raman Lamba 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.
Early Career of Raman Lamba
Raman Lamba commenced his Ranji Trophy career in 1980-1981. He continued in playing in the championship in the season 1997-98, until he died. 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.
Raman Lamba aggregated 1034 runs in 10 matches at an average of 73.86 with three centuries and four half centuries in the Ranji Trophy 1994-95 season 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. In first class cricket, he scored a total of 8776 runs at 53.84 and his 175 innings including 31 centuries and 27 fifties.
Later Career of Raman Lamba
The highest score in his career is 320 (not out) came in the Duleep Trophy Final in 1987-88 for North Zone vs West Zone. The West might have felt very satisfied with their first innings score of 444, with their captain and Test opener Anshuman Gaekwad making 216. Their opponents, however, had other ideas and replied with a massive, match killing 868 all out. Lamba left Gaekwad in the shade with a monumental 320 in 720 minutes which was scored off 471 balls including six 6s and thirty 4s. That season he totalled 1097 runs at 84.38.
Seven years later, Raman Lamba crossed the triple hundred mark again with 312 for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match versus Himachal Pradesh at Delhi. The hosts ran up 637-3 declared owing much to a first wicket in Indian record, 464 between Lamba and Ravi Sehigal, who made 216. The 312 came off 392 balls in Raman Lamba`s career with two 6s and twenty five 4s and took 567 minutes. These innings and similar knocks, such as his 617 balls 250 for Delhi vs Punjab in 1996 to 1997 gained him a somewhat mixed reputation.
International Cricket Career of Raman Lamba
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.
Raman Lamba 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 (not out), 74, 17 and 102. Raman Lamba and Krishnamachari Srikkanth were India`s openers for the Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary Cup 1989.
Raman Lamba had a moderate start at an average of 33.67 against the Sri Lankans, but failed in his 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 could not play in the match and Mohammad Azharuddin was given a chance again.
Death of Raman Lamba
Raman Lamba died in the Post Graduate Hospital in Dhaka in Bangladesh, as he was hit by a cricket ball by Mehrab Hossain off left arm spinner Saifullah Khan while fielding at forward short leg.
