Raman Lamba is dead
Doctors have not yet declared former India
cricketer Raman Lamba dead. He is being kept clinically alive,
through life support systems.
"He is brain dead," a doctor at the intensive care unit of the Post Graduate
Hospital in Dhaka said at a little past noon today.
Professor Saifur Rahman, one of the doctors attending on Lamba,
said, "We are monitoring his condition and may come to a decision
within a few hours."
The 38-year-old Delhi batsman underwent brain surgery at the
hospital Saturday, after receiving a severe blow on the head while
fielding at silly mid-on in a premier cricket league match between
Abahani and Mohammedan.
Lamba was operated upon by Professor Rashiduddin Ahmad, head of
the neurology department at the PG Hospital. An Indian surgeon,
Dr Brahma Prakash, was also flown in to help in the surgery.
Lamba's condition deteriorated Saturday night.
The dashing opener's Irish wife Kim arrived here on Saturday,
while his sister reached Dhaka Sunday evening.
Health minister Salauddin Yusuf visited Lamba this morning. Prime
Minister Shiekh Hasina expressed concern at the condition of the
Indian cricketer, and is expected to visit him.
In New Delhi meanwhile, the cricket fraternity was plunged
into grief after hearing of the death, effective, of Lamba.
The flamboyant batsman, who had told his Ranji skipper Ajay
Sharma only recently that he wanted to play for Delhi till he was 45
years old, died at the age of 38.
Lamba's body is expected to be brought to Delhi on Monday night for cremation, which will probably take place tomorrow. Besides Kim, he is survived by two children.
Sharma said he was devastated by the news. Lamba had not gone to Chennai for Delhi's game against Tamil Nadu which, in the event, ended in a fiasco, but he was expected to rejoin the side on Febuary 20.
''Raman was so dedicated to
the game that he could take any joke, except about his
cricket'', Sharma recalled.
Lamba's coach Tarak Sinha was yet to get over the shock. "Lamba has been with me for 25 years, he is like a son to me. I never
thought he will die like this, he was so dedicated."
BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur termed Lamba's death as a loss to Indian cricket. Dungarpur, incidentally, had managed the Indian team of 1986 that included the batsman. "He was a tremendous striker of the ball, and enjoyed his cricket more than most others. He could be counted on to lift the spirits in the dressing room."
Meanwhile, the Delhi and District Cricket Association resolved to suspend all activities for two days beginning today, as a mark of respect. Further, a condolence meeting has been scheduled for 1700 hours, Tuesday.
Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor, his deputy Steve Waugh, and India's star batsman Sachin Tendulkar also paid their tributes to the cricketer.
"Such trajedy can not be expressed in a few
words but all I can say is the whole Australian team
sends their condolences to the late cricketer's
family", Taylor summed up.
Steve Waugh remembered how Lamba, who made his
debut against the 1986 Australians in the one-dayers, had this favourite shot over gully.
"My first thoughts go out to the family of Raman," said Tendulkar, adding that his team, which is due to play the visiting Australians tomorrow, practised with a heavy
heart. "My mind constantly kept straying to that
horrible news I received today morning."
Both Australia, and the Bombay Ranji squad, are likely to observe a minute of silence before the start of their game tomorrow, in respect to Lamba.
A dashing cricketer on the field and a
colourful personality off it, Lamba literally died with his boots on.
His pride was his fitness, and that gave him the feeling that
he could serve Delhi cricket till he was 45 and his club till he was 50.
Flamboyance was the word to describe Lamba. Tall and handsome,
his overall personality was more that of a film star, but his
cricketing credentials were beyond doubt.
He only played four Tests and 32 one-day internationals. People
who followed his career felt that had he excercised restraint and
discipline, he might have been a more successfull player on the
international arena.
In four Tests, three of which were against Sri Lanka, he managed
only 102 runs with the best being 53 in the second Test against the
islanders at Nagpur in 1987-'88. In 32 one-dayers, he made 782 runs with
102 against Australia in 1986-87 as his highest.
He toured England
in 1986 and Pakistan in 1989-90, but did not play.
Perhaps the motto of his batting -- fortune favours the brave -- was
more suited for domestic cricket, where he plundered runs since his
debut in 1980-81.
Lamba has 8541 runs in first class matches. In Ranji, he had 6211 runs
(average 55.95) with 21 centuries, and a triple hundred (312) against
Himachal Pradesh.
His highest was 320 in the Duleep Trophy match against West Zone
at Bhilai in 1987-'88.
Lamba was born on january two, 1960. In childhood, he had
typhoid and the after-effects of the disease left him weak. But he
was inducted into playing outdoor games, particularly football and
cricket, which saw him regain strength.
He began by playing for Delhi in the C K Naidu tournament and
missed a century by five runs in the Under-22 meet against West Zone.
Impressed by his performance, he was chosen for the team against the
touring West Indies and made 38.
His first big
chance came when he the drop out of a couple of players saw him playing for Delhi against Rest of India in 1981, when he scored a half century.
As late as last year, Lamba scored over a 1000 runs in the domestic competition, and his captain, Ajay Sharma, recalls his century against Punjab this season as a particularly outstanding innings.
Cricketers, past and present, assembled at the Ferozshah Kotla
Ground, the nerve centre of Delhi cricket, to mourn the death of
raman lamba.
Coach Tarak Sinha said that Lamba was always a bold cricketer who, despite being a specialist close in fielder, abhorred headgear.
Former Indian all-rounder and coach Madan Lal, under whom Lamba
had played, said,'' I cannot express my feelings at this tragedy. I have played for ten years with him. He was very hard working
and won many matches for Delhi.''
Former India spinner Maninder Singh, who had also played with
Raman, while paying tributes to him, said, '' I would have loved
to say all this only after he retired from the game. The very fact that he served Delhi cricket for 22 years speaks
volumes for his determination.''
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