On his Test cricket debut, he became the first-ever Indian player to score a century in Test cricket. He scored 118 runs against England in his first match, which England won by nine wickets.
Remembering the legendary Lala Amarnath – India’s first Test Centurion and India’s first captain to lead #TeamIndia… https://t.co/DELp71IJCY
— BCCI (@BCCI) 1662884728000
During his Test career, Amarnath played 24 Tests, scoring 878 points at an average of 24.38. He marked a century and four half centuries in a career that spanned more than two decades. He was also an efficient bowler, having won 45 wickets, with the best bowling figures of 5/96.
He also had an envious first-class record for his time, scoring 10,426 runs at an average of 41.37 in 186 games, over 286 innings. 31 centuries and 39 half-centuries have been scored by him, with the highest individual score of 262.
He also became the first ever captain of an independent India cricket team between 1947 and 1952. He captained India in 15 Tests, winning two, losing six and drawing seven. Amarnath then captained India to their first-ever Test series victory over Pakistan by 2-1.
Amarnath was also the first-ever bowler to dismiss legendary Australian hitter Don Bradman by hit-wicket. It happened in a test against Australia in November 1947, when they fired Bradman for 185 runs.
His sons Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath also served India in sport, the former being a lifeblood of India. world Cup winning team in 1983.