Lall Singh

Who was Lall Singh?

Lall Singh was an early Indian Test cricketer.

Lall Singh's fame rests on his brilliant fielding which he displayed in India's first Test tour of England in 1932. He played in the only Test of the series and ran out Frank Woolley. In the second innings, he scored 29 and added 74 runs in 40 minutes with Amar Singh. He was an aggressive batsman with an uncertain defence.

He had been invited to attend the Test trials by the Indian cricket board in 1931. The Indians in Malaysia raised a fund to send him for the trials in Patiala. Even though he was not qualified to play for India on birth or residential qualifications, the Imperial Cricket Conference decided to waive the rules but for this action 'not to be regarded as a precedent'. As of 2006, he is the only Malaysian-born Test cricketer.

When England toured India in 1933/34, Singh was ruled ineligible even though he had been in India for two years. He played for Southern Punjab for two seasons, and returned to Malaysia where he lived out his life as a groundsman. He played 13 matches for the Federated Malay States and Malaya, scoring 722 runs and taking 34 wickets.

He was one of oldest players to attend the Golden Jubilee Test in Bombay in 1980 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of BCCI.