OTD 1951: Kapil Dev’s right-hand man Madan Lal was born

Madan Lal was fondly called Kapil Dev’s right-hand man as he was a reliable bowler for India during the 1983 World Cup. Lal shared the new ball with Kapil and caused problems for some of the best batters in world cricket. He was considered a trusted lieutenant on the field, often acting as the sounding board for skipper Kapil.

Lal was born on March 20, 1951. He celebrates his 75th birthday on Friday. The seam-bowling all-rounder made his India debut on June 6, 1974, against England in a Test match. Meanwhile, his ODI debut came one month later against the same opposition. Before his international debut, Lal had already represented Punjab and Delhi in the domestic circuit.

During his illustrious career, Lal scored 1042 runs at an average of 22.65 in Test cricket. Meanwhile, he scored 401 runs at an average of 19.09 in 67 ODIs. With the ball, Lal accounted for 71 wickets in Tests and 73 in ODIs at an average of 40.08 and 29.27, respectively.

Lal’s first class numbers were excellent as he averaged 42.87 with the bat and 25.50 with the ball. He had a batting average of 25.45 and a bowling average of 30.20 in List A cricket. Lal was an underrated lower-order batter, especially in international cricket. He often bailed India out of difficult situations and earned the nickname ‘Maddad Lal’, which was given to him by the fans.

Lal’s most iconic performance came in the 1983 World Cup. He was part of a formidable bowling attack, comprising the likes of Kapil Dev, Balwinder Sandhu, Roger Binny, Mohinder Amarnath, and Kirti Azad.
In the final, Lal got the dangerous Vivian Richards out as Kapil took an iconic catch. The former bagged a three-for as India lifted their maiden World Cup title.

His last appearance in international cricket came against Pakistan on March 20, 1987. He scored one run after opening the batting with Sunil Gavaskar and went wicketless in his four-over spell.

After his retirement, Lal coached the UAE team for the 1996 World Cup. He also had a brief stint with the Indian cricket team as coach from September 1996 to September 1997. Lal was a member of the selection committee from 2000 to 2001.

In 2009, Lal ventured into politics. He joined the Indian National Congress. Lal was also seen in a crime show called Hum Ne Li Hai – Shapath in April 2013.

In the Bollywood film 83, which paid tribute to the Indian team that won the 1983 World Cup, Harrdy Sandhu played the role of Lal. The film was released in 2021 and was directed and produced by Kabir Khan and Anurag Kashyap, respectively.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

For more exclusive updates, visit BJSports to access Exclusive News that is only for you, incisive analysis, and updates, and to keep up with all of the latest information on your favorite remarkable cricket players and teams. To ensure you never miss out, join in on the fun right away!