The history of Indian cricket is not just a story of victories, records and silverware. Buried in its pages are moments that continue to trouble the conscience of the game. Raman Lamba’s story is one such chapter where promise, provocation and tragedy are woven together in a way that Indian cricket would rather not remember but must never forget.
Born on 2 January 1960 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Raman Lamba was an aggressive right-handed batsman who rose to fame through sheer force of personality and performance. Although his international career spanned only four Test matches, Lamba established a strong reputation in domestic cricket, where he was regarded as a reliable player with an uncompromising edge. However, his career will not be defined by numbers alone, but by a single incident that left an indelible mark on Indian cricket.
The incident forever associated Lamb’s name with Baroda fast bowler Rashid Patel, a cricketer whose international career flashed briefly before fading away. Patel made his own debut in a Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai in November 1988, but failed to impress and never played for India again. While his name gradually faded from the scorecards, one afternoon ensured that he would remain etched in cricket’s darkest memory.
1991 Duleep Trophy Final: When the game went out of control
The venue was the final of the Duleep Trophy at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur, played between 25 and 29 January 1991. Kapil Dev’s North Zone faced Ravi Shastri’s West Zone. North Zone amassed a massive 729 for 9, to which West Zone replied with 561. After four days of hard-hitting cricket, the match seemed safely headed for a draw.
On the final day, North Zone opened their second innings with Ajay Jadeja and Raman Lamba opening the batting. Lamba, fresh from a commanding 180 in the first innings, looked in full control as the score moved to 59 for no loss in less than ten overs. Nothing at that moment indicated what was about to happen.
From anger to violence
Rashid Patel, who was bowling with visible anger, resorted to short deliveries which began to veer into dangerous territory. Lamba responded by showing the handle of his bat, a surefire sign of protest. It was a flashpoint. Patel’s inhibitions broke.
Patel pounced from almost half-court and fired a beam that narrowly missed Lamb’s head. What followed was unprecedented. Patel ran at Lamb in an attempt to physically confront him and forced the batsman to retreat to third man in self-defence. The stadium fell into stunned silence as players, officials and spectators tried to process what they had witnessed.
Chaos soon ensued. Enraged spectators began throwing stones. Vinod Kambli, standing on the border, was hit and injured. The situation quickly deteriorated, forcing the players off the field and into the pavilion. In the end, the Duleep Trophy was awarded to North Zone captain Kapil Dev, not by result but by necessity.
The consequences were serious. Rashid Patel received a 13-month ban, while Raman Lamba received a 10-month suspension for his role in escalating the confrontation. While Lamb’s aggressive response was acknowledged, it was the violence that really rocked the sport. The incident shattered the moral fabric of cricket and left the game deeply wounded.
Shorten life on the field
Raman Lamba’s story did not end tragically in Jamshedpur. Seven years later, in 1998, while playing club cricket in Bangladesh, Lamba played at short leg without a helmet. Batsman Mehrab Hossain hit a hard shot that hit Lamb squarely on the head. He immediately collapsed.
Lamba was flown from Dhaka to Zurich for emergency treatment, but despite all efforts he could not be saved. He died at the age of 38.
His death puts him on a tragic list of cricketers who have lost their lives on the field, alongside England’s Andy Ducat and West Indies’ Wilfred Slacke. More importantly, it has forced the cricketing world to confront uncomfortable questions about player safety, particularly the absence of protective gear for close range players.
Even today, Raman Lamba’s story serves as a sobering reminder that no matter how spectacular the game may be, nothing in cricket is more valuable than a player’s life.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
January 2, 2026
