Though a retired Trinidadian international cricketer, Brian Lara’s name has not faded, and is engraved in golden letters in the world of cricket. He is said to be the wizard whose bat was not less than a magical wand, and he had several records in his name, some remain undefeated even today. He holds a record of the greatest score in first-class cricket and 501 not-out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston, and more.
His contribution to the world of cricket is still talked about, and despite staying away from the pitch, he constantly dominates any discussion over cricket. We will discuss more about his contribution, success, and the net worth he gained over time.
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Brian Charles Lara was born on 2nd May 169 in Cantaro, a small village near Santa Cruz in Trinidad. His father, Bunty Lara, worked for the Ministry of Agriculture while his mother, Pearl Lara, was a homemaker. Brian was the 10th child out of 11, and since his childhood days, he has learnt the meaning of perseverance and teamwork. His older sister, Agnes Cyrus, played an important role in his life and got him admitted in a local cricket coaching center, Harvard Coaching Clinic, when he was 6 years old.
His primary education began at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Santa Cruz and was later moved to San Juan Secondary School. He later transferred to Fatima College, which had one of the modest cricket programs in Trinidad. His life changed there as he started coaching under Harry Ramdass.
By the time he was in high school, his batting skills had made him recognized in Trinidad and attracting national fame.
Brian Lara’s career started very early in 1975 when he was merely 6 years old, and his father and older sister got him enrolled in the Harvard Coaching Clinic in Trinidad. This coaching helped him pick up his batting skills earlier, and by 1983, when he was 14 years old, he had already become a great batsman from his college. He actively played for the school’s cricket team and performed very well, and even got a reputation of the most gifted young players of Trinidad.
In 1983 only, he scored 745 runs at an average of 126.5 in the schoolboy’s league, and made his place in the Trinidad and Tobago under 16 team. In 1984, he represented Trinidad and Tobago in the Under-19 team and left selectors impressed. At the age of 18 in 1987, he debuted for the Trinidad and Tobago senior team in the Red Stripe Cup, the West Indies’ Premier domestic first-class tournament.
In 1990, Lara’s international cricket career finally took off, and he debuted with a test series for the West Indies against Pakistan at Lahore on 6th December, and he ended up scoring only 44 runs, but his batting skills left an impression on the audience and his team members. In the coming years, he established himself as a global name in the world of cricket, and in 1993, he scored his maiden test century against Australia at Sydney. This innings gained him international recognition by helping West Indies to win against Australia, and in the same year, he won the title of “Wisden Cricketer of the Year.”
The year of 1994 brought in a huge success for Lara, and he broke a long-standing record by 375, which was earlier made by Sir Garfield Sobers. He scored the runs against England at Antigua and became the highest individual score in Test cricket at that time. Just after two months, he broke another world record by scoring 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in England’s County championship, becoming the first individual to score the highest in first-class cricket. His two back-to-back records earned him the nickname “The Prince of Port of Spain.”
Lara’s domination continued throughout the 1990s, and in 1995, he became the captain of the West Indies team and kept serving occasionally for the next decade. He did face certain issues with the team coordination and management, but it didn’t come in between his long-time performance, and in 1999, he gave two back-to back centuries against Australia in the Caribbean, 213 at Sabrina Park and 153 not out at Bridgetown.
In 2002, Lara got back his world record by scoring 400 not out against England in Antigua, becoming the only cricketer who get back his record. In the same year, he was named ICC Player of the Year for his consistency and contribution. Lara finally retired from international cricket in 2007, post playing in the ICC Cricket World Cup, the last match played against England. By the end of his career, he scored 11,953 in Tests and 10,405 runs in ODI internationals, and he became the highest run-scorer in the history of the game.
Even after his retirement, Lara continued his association with cricket and became a commentator, mentor, and ambassador, and in 2012, he was included into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. From 2021 to 2023, he worked as a batting consultant for various international teams for the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Presently, he attends occasional events of cricket events and talks about the importance of sports and mental wellness, and how to be disciplined.
Brian Lara’s shot to fame moment came in 1994 when he broke the long-standing world record of 365 runs previously made by Sir Garfield Sobers, and he scored 375 against England. This event gained him global recognition, and he went on to making another world record of 501 not out just after two months. After these two events, Lara’s fame never diminished.
Along with his remarkable cricket career, his personal life too had been a talk of town. His only known relationship in the media is with Leasel Rovedas, a Trinidadian journalist with whom he shared a very long relationship with. Many reports suggest both of them are married, but nothing has been confirmed by Lara or Leasel. Both of them together have two daughters. Both still share the relationship of love and dedication.
As per the majority of the sources, Brian Lara’s net worth stands at $60 million, which he earned through his active cricket career, endorsements, brand collaborations, and a guest speaker.
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