September 11 marks an important date in the history of Indian cricket: 115 years ago, in 1911, Lala Amarnath was born, the first centre batsman for the Indian team. Amarnath became not just an athlete, but a significant figure who left a deep mark on the culture and system of Indian cricket, being involved in it as a player, bowler, captain, selector, coach, and commentator.
Lala Amarnath, born into a modest family in Lahore, demonstrated his talent in 1933-34, scoring 109 runs for the South Punjab team against MCC. Shortly after, he got the opportunity to play in India's first home Test match against England at the Jimkhana ground in Bombay. Despite India's difficult situation, Amarnath managed to counter the attacks of the English bowlers, completing a century in 117 minutes and becoming the first player to score a centre in international cricket for India, although the team ultimately lost.
In 1936, during a tour of England, Lala Amarnath was one of the most influential players in the Indian squad. However, a dispute arose with the team captain, Maharaja Kumar from Vijnagaram, known as 'Viji'. Following this incident, Amarnath was sent back to India mid-tour, which seriously affected his Test career, forcing him to step away from it for about 12 years. Nevertheless, his domestic performances continued, and in 1938-39, he scored an impressive 241 runs for the Hinduja team against The Rest.
Lala Amarnath's return was not limited to batting. In 1946, during a visit to England, he made a splash in a match at Lord's, dismissing players such as Len Hutton, Cyril Washbrook, Dennis Compton, and Wally Hammond in England's first innings. A specialty of his bowling was the ability to bring the ball inside with precise length, allowing him to play a useful role both with the bat and with the ball for the Indian side.
In 1947, Lala Amarnath was appointed captain of the first Australian touring Indian team after the departure of Vijay Merchant. The Australian team under Don Bradman was very strong, and India faced serious difficulties in five Test matches. Although his personal Test performances did not meet expectations, he performed brilliantly against regional teams, notably his innings of 228 runs against Victoria was noted by the great Australian player Neil Harvey.
In the 1952-53 season, Lala Amarnath once again led India, and this time the opponent was Pakistan. This was the first official Test series between the two countries, which India won, creating a historic moment. Nevertheless, Amarnath's relationship with Indian cricket politics remained complicated; due to disagreements with the then influential council officials, he faced problems regarding leadership and team decisions.
Throughout his career, Lala Amarnath played 24 Test matches, scoring 878 runs at an average of 24.38. In Tests, he scored 1 centre and 4 half-centuries. Regarding bowling, he took 45 wickets at an average of 32.91. In total across 186 first-class matches, he scored 10426 runs and took 463 wickets.
Although Lala Amarnath's sporting career concluded, his contribution to Indian cricket remains significant. He became a selector, and his name is particularly associated with the decision to give a chance to spinner Jaswant Patel in the Kanpur match against Australia in 1959-60. Patel secured a historic victory for India through his outstanding bowling. His family also continued the cricketing tradition: his sons Surinder Amarnath and Mohinder Amarnath represented India. Surinder also scored a centre in his debut Test match, and Mohinder played 69 Test and 85 ODI matches.
Lala Amarnath was characterized by his straightforward nature and ability to openly express his opinion. His contemporary Mushtaq Ali vividly described his personality. Given his contribution to Indian cricket, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee called him an 'icon'.