Colourful characters in Indian cricket

Characters are what the game of cricket is all about. It is fine to score runs aplenty or take wickets by the bucketfull but spectators and the TV audience would also like their heroes to put in that extra bit of entertainment, to have those additional qualities call it good looks, charisma, distinctive features, inimitable style or anything else. Indian cricket over the years has had its share of uniquely colourful personalities who were always in the news - for their deeds on the field and their activities or controversies off it. Partab Ramchand takes a close look at ten such cricketers

Lala Amarnath

He was always in the news. On and off the field, he unwittingly made sure that he remained in the public eye. He played dazzling strokes, his medium-paced bowling was accurate and penetrative and he led the side as shrewdly as only he could. Off the field, he was involved in countless scraps with officialdom, fighting for more freedom, better facilities, bigger pay packets. He was out spoken player of his time and cared two hoots for officials and administrators. You either liked him because he was open and candid or you disliked him because he was blunt and rude. But one thing was sure. You could never ignore him. Amarnath wouldn't have liked that! He was indeed the stormy petrel of Indian cricket. He continued in this vein in his various 'avatars' chairman of the selection committee, manager of the Indian team and as writer and radio commentator when he did not hesitate to call a spade a spade. Long after his playing days wereover, he remained good copy for journalists with his immense knowledge of the game, his blistering tongue complete with down-to-earth humour and interesting anecdotes. In the all-time popularity stakes, Amarnath will rank very high and as far as colourful personalities in Indian cricket he is probably second to none.

In pic: Lala Amarnath during the All-India tour of England, 1936.

(Pictures: Getty Images)