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Arun Lal Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1 August 1955

Age68 Years

BirthplaceMoradabad, Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionFormer Cricketer (Batsman); Coach; Commentator; Columnist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseBulbul Saha

FamilyFather - Dhir Jagdish Lal; Uncle - Dhir Muni Lal; Cousin - Akash Lal; First wife - Reena

Arun Lal Biography

Arun Lal is a former Indian opening batsman, coach, commentator and columnist. A long-serving figure in domestic cricket, he moved from Delhi to Bengal, r^

Early life and background

Arun Lal was born Jagdishlal Arun Lal on 1 August 1955 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. He attended Mayo College, Ajmer, and later studied at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, where he graduated in economics. Cricket runs in his family: his father Dhir Jagdish Lal, his uncle Dhir Muni Lal and cousin Akash Lal were all cricketers.

Career

Arun Lal made his international debut for India in 1982, playing his first ODI against England in Cuttack and his first Test against Sri Lanka in Madras the same year. A right-handed opening batsman who could bowl right-arm medium, he played 16 Test innings from 1982 to 1989, scoring 729 Test runs with a highest Test score of 93 at Calcutta in 1987. He recorded six Test half-centuries, including a fifty on debut and notable partnerships with Sunil Gavaskar.

His ODI career was brief, comprising 13 appearances. At domestic level he spent six years with Delhi before moving to Bengal in 1981. He was a mainstay of the first-class game through the 1980s and early 1990s: across 156 first-class matches he scored more than 10,000 runs, with a top score of 287 and a first-class average of 46.94. In Ranji Trophy competition he accumulated 6,760 runs at an average of 53.23, finishing his playing days among the top run-scorers in the tournament’s history.

Arun led Bengal to a historic Ranji Trophy title in 1989, remaining unbeaten on 50 in the final to guide the state to its first championship in 51 years. He also played important roles in East Zone successes in the Duleep and Deodhar Trophy.

After retiring from competitive cricket in 2001 and later from club cricket, where his final appearance was for East Bengal, Arun transitioned into cricket journalism and broadcasting. He worked as a commentator and columnist and remained an outspoken advocate for domestic cricket, declaring the Ranji Trophy the country’s most important tournament.

Coaching and mentoring

Lal took up coaching roles later in his career. He served as head coach of the Bengal team and was appointed chief coach of the East Zone branch of the National Cricket Academy. Under his guidance Bengal reached the Ranji Trophy final in 2020, ending a 13-year wait for the state. Earlier, Sourav Ganguly invited him into a coaching role when Ganguly was president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

Personal challenges and recovery

In January 2016 Arun Lal was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the jaw. He underwent extensive surgery that included jaw reconstruction using a bone graft from his leg. The treatment and recovery kept him away from commentary and public life for many months. He later described the physical and psychological ordeal and spoke about how the experience changed his perspective on life.

Public profile

Known to teammates and fans as "Piggy," Arun Lal has cultivated interests beyond cricket. He is an avid bird-watcher who has worked to protect migratory birds at Santragachi in Howrah, and he has planted more than 4,000 trees as part of his conservation efforts. He has also supported the education of underprivileged youngsters, assisting several individuals through school, college and professional careers.

Arun has been married twice. His first marriage was to Reena; the couple separated by mutual consent, though he continued to care for her during her chronic illness. He later entered a relationship with Bulbul Saha and they married on 2 May 2022 with the consent of his first wife.

Controversies and opinions

At times Arun’s coaching methods drew criticism for their intensity, particularly when he pushed players through rigorous drills in adverse weather. He defended his approach as necessary discipline. During the COVID-19 pandemic he also publicly questioned policies that restricted people over a certain age from participating in team activities, arguing against overly cautious exclusions.

Latest updates

After recovering from cancer, Arun resumed his involvement in cricket through coaching, commentary and writing, and continued his conservation work. He has been recognized by the Cricket Association of Bengal with a Lifetime Achievement award in August 2019. He remains an influential figure in Bengal cricket and a vocal proponent of nurturing domestic talent.
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Recent Work

Head coach of Bengal cricket team (led team to Ranji final)

Served as Bengal head coach and led the side to the Ranji Trophy final in 2020; also chief coach of the East Zone branch of the National Cricket Academy.

2017-2020
Lifetime Achievement award by Cricket Association of Bengal

Received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Cricket Association of Bengal.

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. International debut in ODI (1982) and Test (1982)
  2. Scored 729 Test runs with a highest score of 93
  3. More than 10,000 first-class runs with a top score of 287
  4. Led Bengal to Ranji Trophy victory in 1989
  5. Coached Bengal to the Ranji Trophy final in 2020
  6. Underwent successful jaw reconstruction after cancer diagnosis in 2016
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Arun Lal born?

1 August 1955

What is Arun Lal known for?

Former Cricketer (Batsman); Coach; Commentator; Columnist

What is Arun Lal’s marital status?

Married

Who is Arun Lal married to?

Bulbul Saha