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Arun Lal

Arun Lal Jaiswal, generally known as Arun Lal, is a former Indian first-class cricketer and cricket commentator. A right-handed opening batsman, he represented India in Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket during the 1980s, and had a long domestic career primarily with Delhi and Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.

Key facts

Full name Arun Lal Jaiswal
Born 1 August 1955, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Role Opening batsman (right-handed)
Bowling Right-arm medium
Domestic teams Delhi, Bengal
National team India
Formats Test, ODI, First-class, List A
Later role Cricket commentator; coach

Background

Arun Lal was born in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and was educated at St Xavier's College, Kolkata. He came from a family with cricketing connections; the Test cricketer Akash Lal was related to him. He began his first-class career with Delhi before moving to Bengal, where he spent the major part of his playing days and eventually captained the side.

Playing career

Domestic cricket

Lal was a dependable opener in the Ranji Trophy circuit through the late 1970s, the 1980s and into the early 1990s. He was a key member of the Bengal team that won the Ranji Trophy in the 1989–90 season, providing experience at the top of the order. He continued to lead Bengal in domestic competitions and was known for his application against the new ball and for grafting long innings on Indian pitches.

International career

He made his Test debut for India against Sri Lanka in 1982 and went on to play Test matches against opponents including the West Indies, Pakistan, England and New Zealand during the 1980s. He also featured in ODIs for India in the same period. As an opener, he was often paired with contemporaries such as Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Kris Srikkanth's successors, and was valued for his temperament against fast bowling, particularly during India's 1982–83 tour of the West Indies.

After playing

After retiring from competitive cricket, Arun Lal became one of India's well-known cricket commentators on television, working in both English and Hindi for major broadcasters covering international and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. He later returned to coaching, and served as head coach of the Bengal Ranji Trophy team, guiding them to the Ranji Trophy final in the 2019–20 season.

Significance

Arun Lal is regarded as an important figure in the development of cricket in Bengal, both as a senior batsman during the state's 1989–90 Ranji Trophy triumph and later as a coach who restored the side to prominence. His move from broadcasting back into coaching, and his public discussion of his recovery from cancer, have also drawn attention within Indian cricket.

References