View source for Mohinder Amarnath

{{short description|Indian cricket player}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2011}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Mohinder Amarnath
| image = MohinderAmarnath.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Amarnath in 2012
| country = India
| fullname = Mohinder Amarnath Bhardwaj
| nickname = Jimmy
| family = [[List of International cricket families#Amarnath|Amarnath family]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|9|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Patiala]], [[East Punjab|Punjab]], India
| heightft = 
| heightinch = 
| heightm = 
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm medium
| role = Batting [[all-rounder]]
| international = true
| internationalspan = 1969–1989
| testdebutdate = 24 December
| testdebutyear = 1969
| testdebutagainst = Australia
| testcap = 125
| lasttestdate = 11 January
| lasttestyear = 1988
| lasttestagainst = West Indies
| odidebutdate = 7 June
| odidebutyear = 1975
| odidebutagainst = England
| odicap = 85
| lastodidate = 30 October
| lastodiyear = 1989
| lastodiagainst = West Indies
| odishirt = 
| club1 = [[Punjab cricket team (India)|Punjab]]
| year1 = 1969–1974
| clubnumber1 =  
| club2 = [[Delhi cricket team|Delhi]]
| year2 = 1974–1989
| clubnumber2 = 
| club3 = [[Baroda cricket team|Baroda]]
| year3 = 1984
| clubnumber3 = 
| club4 = [[Wiltshire County Cricket Club|Wiltshire]]
| year4 = 1984
| clubnumber4 = 
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 69
| runs1 = 4,378
| bat avg1 = 42.50
| 100s/50s1 = 11/24
| top score1 = 138
| deliveries1 = 3,676
| wickets1 = 32
| bowl avg1 = 55.68
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 4/63
| catches/stumpings1 = 47/–
| column2 = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| matches2 = 85
| runs2 = 1,924
| bat avg2 = 30.53
| 100s/50s2 = 2/13
| top score2 = 102*
| deliveries2 = 2,730
| wickets2 = 46
| bowl avg2 = 42.84
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 3/12
| catches/stumpings2 = 23/–
| date = 8 October
| year = 2009
| source = http://content.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/26225.html ESPNcricinfo
|medaltemplates=<!--MENTION HOST NATIONS FOR TEAM SPORTS-->
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Cricket]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Cricket World Cup|ICC Cricket World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[1983 Cricket World Cup|1983 England and Wales]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asia Cup|ACC Asia Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Winner|[[1988 Asia Cup|1988 Bangladesh]]|}}
}}
'''Mohinder Amarnath Bhardwaj'''  (born 24 September 1950) is a former Indian [[cricket]]er, cricket analyst and actor. He is the son of [[Lala Amarnath]], the first post-independence captain of India.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 August 2016 |title=Remembering Lala Amarnath, India's first Test Cricket captain after independence |publisher=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/lala-amarnath-333499-2016-08-05 |access-date=26 February 2020}}</ref> Mohinder was the vice captain of the Indian team that won the [[1983 Cricket World Cup]], where he was the player of the [[1983 Cricket World Cup final|final]]. He was also a part of the Indian squad which won the 1985 [[World Championship of Cricket]].

Mohinder is commonly mentioned by players and cricket pundits as the best Indian batsman against express pace.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Viswanath |first1=G |title=Mohinder taught us how to play fast bowling: Gavaskar |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/mohinder-taught-us-how-to-play-fast-bowling-gavaskar/article27119743.ece |access-date=12 July 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=13 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="ESPN">{{cite news |title=Mohinder Amarnath - Cricketer of the year - 1984 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154462.html |access-date=12 July 2020 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramchand |first1=Partab |title=The Best Player of Fast Bowling in the World |url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/newsdetail/index/11/12543/the-best-player-of-fast-bowling-in-the-world |access-date=12 July 2020 |publisher=The Citizen India |date=18 December 2017}}</ref> In 2009, he received the [[C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award]], the highest honour [[Board of Control for Cricket in India|Indian board]] can bestow on a former player.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-11-10 |title=Mohinder Amarnath to receive CK Nayudu award |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22755271/mohinder-amarnath-receive-ck-nayudu-award |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=[[ESPN.com]] |language=en |quote=..... CK Nayudu lifetime achievement award, the highest honour the Indian board can bestow on a former player}}</ref>

==Early life==
Mohinder was born on 24 September 1950 in [[Patiala]]<ref name="ESPN"/> as the second eldest son of [[Lala Amarnath]] and Kailash Kumari. His elder brother, [[Surinder Amarnath|Surinder]] is a former international cricketer while his younger brother [[Rajinder Amarnath|Rajinder]] is a former first-class cricketer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lala Amarnath's wife Kailash Kumari passes away |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/news/lala-amarnaths-wife-kailash-kumari-passes-away-355718 |access-date=26 February 2020 |publisher=Cricket County |date=17 November 2015}}</ref> He also has two sisters, Kamala and Dolly.<ref>{{cite web|title=India's most legendary of figures|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketer/content/story/141740.html|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=18 March 2016|date=August 1994}}</ref> 

==Education==
Mohinder Amarnath did his schooling at MB High School Mandir Marg Delhi. He went to [[SGTB Khalsa College]], [[Delhi University]] for his graduation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lokapally |first=Vijay |date=2019-07-07 |title=Then and now: Mohinder Amarnath remembers the Delhi of his youth |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/i-dont-splurge-my-earnings/article28314514.ece/amp/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} </ref>

==Career==
[[File:Mohinder Amarnath graph.png|left|thumb|350px|Mohinder Amarnath's career performance graph.]]

Mohinder made his debut against [[Australian cricket team|Australia]] at [[Chennai]] in December 1969,
as a quick-bowling all rounder. At his peak he was a top order batsman who mainly played at No. 3 for India. He was also handy with the ball, bowling swingers and cutters with great skill and control. He had a unique run-up where he slowed down as he reached the bowling crease. Behind his seemingly lethargic demeanor were nerves of steel.

Mohinder Amarnath played 69 Tests scoring 4,378 [[run (cricket)|runs]] at a [[batting average (cricket)|batting average]] of 42.50, with 11 hundreds and 24 fifties, and claimed 32 [[wicket]]s at a [[bowling average]] of 55.68 apiece.  In 85 [[One Day International]]s, he scored 1,924 runs at an average of 30.53 and a highest score of 102 n.o. and claimed 46 wickets at 42.84 apiece.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mohinder Amarnath |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/26225.html |access-date=26 February 2020 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

==Accolades==

Fiery fast bowlers [[Imran Khan]] of [[Pakistan]] and [[Malcolm Marshall]] of [[West Indies]] have praised his batsmanship, courage and ability to endure and master pain. In 1982–83 Mohinder played 11 Test matches against Pakistan (5) and the West Indies (6) and scored over 1000 runs in the two series.

In his book "Idols", Indian legend and compatriot [[Sunil Gavaskar]] described Mohinder Amarnath as the finest batsman in the world.

Mohinder made his first test century at Perth at the WACA (the fastest and bounciest wicket in the world) batting against [[Jeff Thomson]]. He followed this test century with another 10 more against top class fast bowling.

[[Imran Khan]] regarded Mohinder so highly that in his book "All Round View" he went on record to say that in the 1982–83 season, Mohinder was quite simply the best batsman in the world.  Imran further went on to state that Mohinder should have played non-stop for India right from his debut in 1969 to the time he retired. (After his debut series in 1969, he had to wait until 1975 to make it into the team).

==1982–83 series in Pakistan==

This series saw [[Imran Khan]] at his lethal best, supported by the canny [[Sarfraz Nawaz]]. In match after match India crumbled against the fiery pace of Pakistan, losing the Second, third and fourth tests 3–0 . [[Imran Khan]] who took 40 wickets in the series was jointly awarded "Man of the Series" with Mohinder Amarnath.  The catastrophic series for India hastened the end of the career of master batsman [[Gundappa Viswanath]]. Mohinder Amarnath was the sole saving grace for the Indian batting line-up for the series as a whole. (An aside – [[Sunil Gavaskar]] carried his bat in one innings of the series. Sunil Gavaskar scored 434 runs ).

==1983 World Cup Performance==

Mohinder Amarnath is noted for his performance in the [[1983 Cricket World Cup]]. He was awarded "Man of the Match"<ref>{{cite news |title=From the Archives: The World Cup at Lord's |url=https://www.lords.org/lords/news-stories/from-the-archives-the-world-cup-at-lord-s |access-date=26 February 2020 |issue=30 May 2019 |publisher=Lord's, Marylebone Cricket Club}}</ref> in the final and semi-final,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sahi |first1=Lokendra Pratap |title='Believe you can do unbelievable things' Virat doesn't need advice: Amarnath |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/cricket/icc-cricket-world-cup-2019-believe-you-can-do-unbelievable-things-says-mohinder-amarnath/cid/1693011 |access-date=26 February 2020 |work=The Telegraph|date=23 June 2019}}</ref> playing a star role in leading India to their first ever One Day International title and first World Cup win.

In the semi-final against England his accurate seam bowling fetched him the top-order wickets of [[David Gower]] and [[Mike Gatting]]. He gave away only 27 runs in his 12 overs, for an average of a miserly 2.25 an over, the lowest among all Indian bowlers. Returning to bat, he scored 46 runs to give India a solid foundation. He was named the Man of the Match.

In the final, India batted first against the West Indies which arguably boasted the world's best bowling attack comprising [[Malcolm Marshall]], [[Michael Holding]], [[Andy Roberts (cricketer)|Andy Roberts]] and [[Joel Garner]]. India did not fare well, with the entire team being dismissed for a paltry score of 183 in 54.4 overs, well short of the allotted 60 overs. Amarnath's calm and composed batting against West Indian fast bowling gave the Indian innings some much needed stability. He occupied the crease for the longest period (80 balls) and scored 26 runs. Though normally in limited over matches a long stint at the crease is not necessarily a good thing, given that India did not last the entire 60 overs Amarnath's innings gave the batsmen at the other end the opportunity to score. Krishnamachari [[Srikkanth]] top-scored with 38 runs, followed by [[Sandeep Patil]] (27 runs). After the poor batting performance India's chances were deemed almost non-existent. However, the Indian bowling exploited the weather and pitch conditions, conducive for swing bowling perfectly to bowl out the West Indies for just 140, thus winning the finals by 43 runs. Amarnath and [[Madan Lal]] were the joint highest wicket takers with 3 wickets each. As he had been in the semi-final, Amarnath was once again the most economical bowler, conceding only 12 runs in his 7 overs for an average of 1.71 per over. Again, just like the semi-final, Amarnath was declared the Man of the Match.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prudential World Cup at Lord's, Jun 25 1983 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/8039/scorecard/65090/india-vs-west-indies-final-prudential-world-cup-1983 |website=ESPN CrickInfo |access-date=26 February 2020}}</ref> Amarnath also had the distinction of bagging the match winning wicket. As the vice-captain of the team, he held the World Cup aloft in a famous photograph along with his captain and friend, Indian cricketing legend [[Kapil Dev]].

==Trials and tribulations==

Except for the period 1982–83, Mohinder never held a steady place in the Indian Test side and would frequently get dropped.  Mohinder is known as the ''Comeback Man of Indian Cricket<ref>{{cite news |last1=Natarajan |first1=H |title=Comeback Jimmy Amarnath, take a bow |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950582.html |access-date=26 February 2020 |work=The Indian Express|date=14 December 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970422182652/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950582.html |archive-date=22 April 1997 }}</ref>''. During his two decades at the top, he was dropped from the Indian side on several occasions and each time he fought his way back with sterling performances, playing excellent domestic cricket and making it hard for the national selectors to ignore him.

He was well known for his batting technique, temperament and skill. He even experimented with a side-on batting stance, where one foot was placed at an angle to the crease, giving the body had a more open stance with a better view of the bowler.

==Character and Courage==

Amarnath was noted for his personality, courage and determination. West Indian cricketing great [[Vivian Richards]] called him "one of the nicest men to have ever played the game" and former Australian Test opening batsman [[David Boon]] said "Concede didn't seem to be in his vocabulary".<ref name="India's cricketer's cricketer">{{cite news |title=India's cricketer's cricketer |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/indias-cricketers-cricketer-20031206-gdwvpc.html |access-date=26 February 2020 |agency=The Age |date=6 December 2003}}</ref>

Gideon Haigh writing in The Age says: "In an era replete with fast bowling and unrestricted in use of the bouncer, he never stopped hooking – despite many incentives to do so. He received a hairline fracture of the skull from [[Richard Hadlee]], was knocked unconscious by Imran Khan, had teeth knocked out by Malcolm Marshall and was hit in the jaw so painfully by Jeff Thomson in Perth that he could eat only ice cream for lunch. 'What separated Jimmy from the others,' Michael Holding said, 'was his great ability to withstand pain . . . A fast bowler knows when a batsman is in pain. But Jimmy would stand up and continue.' ".<ref name="India's cricketer's cricketer"/>

In the Bridgetown Test during India's tour of the West Indies in 1982–83, Amarnath had to retire for stitches after being hit on the head. On returning to the game, he faced one of history's most lethal fast bowlers [[Michael Holding]].  It was a given that Holding would try to intimidate Amarnath by bowling a bouncer, and indeed he did so. While most would expect that a batsman in such a situation would do the prudent thing and duck, instead Amarnath stood his ground and hooked the ball to the boundary. However the West Indies bowling attack comprising [[Malcolm Marshall]] at his best, [[Michael Holding]], [[Winston Davis]] and [[Wayne Daniel]] would wreak their most lethal vengeance upon Amarnath during their 1983/84 tour of India by restricting him to only 1 run in six innings, during which Holding scalped Amarnath three times for a duck. Amarnath had scores of 0,0,0,1,0,0 and was hence dropped just months after his career-high success at the 1983 World Cup.

He played an important role in famous chase in Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1976 tour. He made 85 in the second innings taking India to the brink of historic win.

Amarnath was noted for his conflicts with the Indian cricketing political establishment, famously having called the selectors a "bunch of jokers".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murzello |first1=Clayton |title=Two decades later Mohinder Amarnath still doesn't regret calling selectors a bunch of jokers |url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/two-decades-later-mohinder-amarnath-still-doesnt-regret-calling-selectors-a-bunch-of-jokers/65630 |access-date=26 February 2020 |publisher=Mid Day |date=5 December 2009}}</ref> This often resulted in his exclusion from the Indian team also.

==Trivia==

Mohinder had some unique dismissals. He is the only Indian who has been dismissed on [[Handled the ball|handling the ball]]. He was dismissed on 9 February 1986 also making him the first one to be dismissed for handling the ball in One-Day Internationals. He is also the only Indian to be dismissed for [[obstructing the field]] in One-Day Internationals. He has also been dismissed 'hit wicket'.

He is the only International Cricketer in the world to be given out both for [[Handled the ball|handling the ball]] and [[obstructing the field]] in his career<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lynch |first1=Steven |title=Clarke's closure, and Amarnath's strange double |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22022192/ask-steven-clarke-closure,-amarnath-strange-double |website=ESPn CrickInfo |access-date=26 February 2020 |ref=12 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=De Lisle |first1=Tim |title=Young Wisden: A New Fan's Guide to Cricket |date=2011 |publisher=John Wisden and Co Ltd |location=London |isbn=978-1408124635 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BcOkAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA11}}</ref>

He displayed the unique superstition of carrying a red handkerchief visibly in his trouser pocket while batting.

==Cricket Coaching==
Mohinder Amarnath presented a popular weekly cricket coaching TV programme in the late 80s/early 90s.  The program went by the name of 'Cricket with Mohinder Amarnath'.  It featured technique presentation and discussion with guest speakers who were mostly Indian national team members at the time.  It had a decent following among the youth of that time who were hooked to Cricket especially after Reliance Cup was held in India in 1987, given that the program was available on the national channel Doordarshan thus taking cricket to the masses.  The title song of this program 'Khel hi hain hamara jeevan...' was very catchy. Young [[Sachin Tendulkar]], a 15 years old, was interviewed by Amarnath for the program. Sachin was playing wonderfully in the domestic leagues, and was showing enormous potential. After a year, he was inducted into the Indian team for the Pakistan tour.

==Personal life==
Mohinder Amarnath is married to Inderjit Amarnath, and they have one daughter.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lokapally |first1=Vijay |title=Then and now: Mohinder Amarnath remembers the Delhi of his youth |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/i-dont-splurge-my-earnings/article28314514.ece |access-date=26 February 2020 |work=The Hindu|date=8 July 2019}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
The 2021 Hindi film ''[[83 (film)|83]]'', based on India's 1983 World Cup victory, features [[Saqib Saleem]] as Amarnath, and Amarnath himself as his father, [[Lala Amarnath|Lala]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-02-18|title=Saqib Saleem to Play All-Rounder Mohinder Amarnath in '83'|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/bollywood/saquib-saleem-harrdy-sandhu-join-cast-of-83|access-date=2021-03-21|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=22 December 2021|title=SCOOP: Mohinder Amarnath does a cameo in the Ranveer Singh starrer 83; plays his own father Lala Amarnath’s role|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/scoop-mohinder-amarnath-cameo-ranveer-singh-starrer-83-plays-father-lala-amarnaths-role/|access-date=20 May 2023|website=Bollywood Hungama|language=en}}</ref> Amarnath had played the role of a cricket coach in the 2016 film ''[[Dishoom]]'', in which he co-starred Saleem.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Race 3 Actor Saqib Saleem To Play Mohinder Amarnath In Kabir Khan's '83|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/race-3-actor-saqib-saleem-to-play-mohinder-amarnath-in-kabir-khans-83-1995749|access-date=20 May 2023|website=NDTV|language=en}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="margin-right: 0;"
! scope="col" |Year
! scope="col" |Film
! Role(s)
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Notes
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Tooltip|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
| 1985
|''[[Kabhie Ajnabi The]]''
|Himself
|
|
|-
|2016
|''[[Dishoom]]''
|Indian cricket team coach
|
|
|-
|2021
|''[[83 (film)|83]]''
|[[Lala Amarnath]]
|
|
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{cricinfo|id=26225}}

{{India ODI Cricket Captains}}
{{Man of the Match in ICC Cricket World Cup Final}}
{{Navboxes
|title= India squads  
|bg= #0077FF
|fg= white
|bordercolor=#ff8800
|list1=
{{India Squad 1975 Cricket World Cup}}
{{India Squad 1979 Cricket World Cup}}
{{India Squad 1983 Cricket World Cup}}
{{India Squad 1988 Asia Cup}}
}}
{{Bangladesh National Cricket Team Coaches}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amarnath, Mohinder}}
[[Category:India One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:India Test cricketers]]
[[Category:North Zone cricketers]]
[[Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1975 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Patiala]]
[[Category:Coaches of the Bangladesh national cricket team]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:Durham cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian expatriate cricketers in England]]
[[Category:Wiltshire cricketers]]
[[Category:Baroda cricketers]]
[[Category:Punjab, India cricketers]]
[[Category:Northern Punjab cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Universities cricketers]]
[[Category:Vazir Sultan Tobacco cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Starlets cricketers]]
[[Category:Delhi cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian cricket coaches]]
[[Category:Indian cricket commentators]]
[[Category:D. B. Close's XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Amarnath family]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Delhi]]