Ladha Ramji

Ladha Ramji Biography

Born a decade before his younger brother, the supremely talented Ladha Amar Singh, Ladha Ramji played a solitary Test. He took new ball with Mohammad Nissar at Bombay (in the first Test on Indian soil), bowling ahead of Amar Singh, but went wicketless in the first innings. He did not get a chance to bowl again, as England won by 9 wickets rather quickly. Seldom has India fielded three bowlers of that pace in the same Test.

Eyewitnesses rate Ramji a yard or two quicker than Amar Singh. Unfortunately, by the time India played Test cricket and Ranji Trophy was conceived, Ramji was well past his prime. Despite that, he ruled Bombay Quadrangular with his extreme pace; watching him tear in with a vermillion teeka on his forehead, supported by a charged-up crowd chanting “Har har Mahadev” was a spectacle to behold.

Ramji’s raw pace was intimidating. He could generate bounce off a length, and knocked out batsmen, some injured, some dismissed, some dismissed to avoid injury. When MCC toured India in 1926-27, captain Arthur Gilligan himself requested Ramji be taken away when his tail-enders batted.

From 27 First-Class matches Ramji claimed a whopping 125 wickets at 18 and a strike rate of 38. For Hindus alone he claimed 62 wickets from 10 matches at 17. The numbers tell how impactful he was in the Quadrangular.

Against Europeans in 1927-28 he took 6 for 92 and 7 for 41. Two years later, against Muslims, he had 2 for 26 and 8 for 55. When Vizzy recruited him and Amar Singh to play for Freelooters, they shared 20 wickets between them, Ramji taking 12 for 46 and Amar Singh 8 for 73.

He gave up cricket in his mid-30s. Unfortunately, just like his younger brother, he died very young, at a mere 48. He contracted gangrene, but refused to have his leg amputated; he was also diabetic, and the inevitable happened.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Ladha Ramji Batting & Fielding Averages

Career

Avg

100s

50s

Test

ODIs

T20s

World Cup

Ladha Ramji Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
ODIs	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--