SUNDAY MiD DAY talks to Mohinder Amarnath on the birth centenary of his father Lala

Lala Amarnath, whose birth centenary is celebrated today, was not called the Stormy Petrel of Indian cricket for nothing. He was a rebel whom administrators loved to hate and if the game's chroniclers are to be believed, the ones he upset tried to get their revenge when Lala's sons Mohinder and Surender played for India.


Mohinder Amarnath with Lala at a function in Mumbai in 1994.
PICS/MiDDAY Archives, Getty Images

Mohinder was the supreme battler if ever there was one and he became as famous for his numerous comebacks as his tenacity. Surender Amarnath got a hundred on Test debut against New Zealand at Auckland on the 1975-76 tour, but ended up playing only 10 Tests. Youngest brother Rajender played first-class cricket.

Lala was India's first Test centurion -- against Douglas Jardine's England at the Bombay Gymkhana. Whenever he passed the Gymkhana, he used to take his cap off in gratitude to India's first Test venue. SUNDAY MiD DAY spoke to Mohinder about Lala to mark the birth centenary of his father, who passed away
in 2000. Excerpts:

What's the side of Lala Amarnath that the cricket fraternity did not see?
I used to hear a lot of stories about his fiery temper, achievements and knowledge of the game, but he was a good father. He believed in discipline, but he was very warm-hearted and emotional too. This is a side of him people probably did not see. He was far sighted where our careers were concerned. He planned it beautifully, making sure we played cricket the right way. He was not only a father to us, but also a coach, mentor and everything else.