Ladhabhai Nakum Amar
Singh Lodha is one of the forgotten lads of the Indian cricket. The ace Indian
medium fast bowler was nothing less than a gem to Indian cricket.
Amar Singh became the
first ever Indian player to receive the Test cap and was the first batter to
score India’s inaugural Test half century. His Test career lasted from
1932-1936 where he made 7 appearances for the Indian team.
An impressive holder
of the red cherry, Amar produced some magical spells during his era dismissing
28 batsmen on the highest level.
He attained a best
figures of bowling in a match in the year 1934 at Chennai. He picked up 8
scalps in total spending 141 runs in that particular match. His bowling also
involved two 5-wicket hauls in 13 innings.
Amar Singh’s reign of
bowling was a more effective one in the domestic circuit. The classic bowler
produced 508 wickets in 92 matches that he was a part of. He played for Hindus, Maharaja of Patiala's XI, Nawanagar, Western India in this level.
He was also a handy
batsman both at the international as well as in the domestic level. He scored an
international Test fifty for India. He also gave some riveting performances in
domestic games as he scored 3344 runs including 5 tons.
In club cricket he played for Colne in the Lancashire
League. As the club's first overseas professional
he was seen as a rival to Nelson's Learie Constantine and his arrival caused the club's gate receipts and
membership to double.
According to Wally Hammond, Amar Singh was "as dangerous an opening bowler as
I have ever seen, coming off the pitch like the crack of doom". In an
informal press meeting in 1970, Leonard
Hutton said that "There is no better bowler in the world
today than Amar Singh."
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