Madan Lal, a former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup winner, has stepped forward to assist the struggling Delhi Ranji Trophy squad following their startling defeat to Jammu & Kashmir, the tournament’s first loss to the side in 65 years of play. The 72-year-old, who played for Delhi for 18 seasons, expressed unhappiness with the team’s current status and volunteered to assist it get back on track.
Jammu and Kashmir made history on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, defeating Delhi by seven wickets in an Elite Group D match. The defeat came after a string of disappointing performances, three draws, and a slew of internal troubles that have plagued the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) for years.
Madan Lal, a vocal critic of Delhi’s cricket administration, expressed his displeasure on the social media platform X.
“If Delhi cricket need my help . I will be happy to do it for Delhi. I played for Delhi 18 seasons. I can’t see them going down,” he wrote.
If Delhi cricket need my help . I will be happy to do it for Delhi. I played for Delhi 18 seasons.I can’t see them going down.
— Madan Lal (@MadanLal1983) November 12, 2025
Delhi placed sixth in Group D
Delhi’s loss to Jammu & Kashmir exposed concerns in both performance and planning. In the first innings, Delhi were bowled out for 211, with Ayush Badoni and Ayush Doseja scoring fifties before Auqib Nabi ran through the lineup with figures of 5 for 35. J&K replied with 310, guided by captain Paras Dogra’s 106 and Abdul Samad’s 85, taking a 99-run lead.
Though Simarjeet Singh claimed a five-wicket haul, Delhi’s second innings followed a familiar pattern. Despite being 244/3 at one point, they collapsed to 277 all out, with Vanshaj Sharma taking 6 for 68. Chasing 179, J&K opener Qamran Iqbal produced a match-winning 133 not out off 147 balls, guiding his team to a historic win.
The defeat has placed Delhi at sixth position in Group D, just above Puducherry and Himachal Pradesh. Many have questioned retaining Sarandeep Singh as head coach despite poor results. Meanwhile, Madan has a first-class record of 10,204 runs and 625 wickets.
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