Inzamam-ul-Haq prays for speedy recovery of ‘friend and brother’ Brian Lara

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara was hospitalised in Mumbai on Tuesday after complaining about chest pain. The 50-year-old Caribbean, one of the most gifted batsmen the game has seen, is in India for media work related to the ongoing World Cup in England and Wales. The entire cricketing fraternity was worried over his health though Lara himself assured that there was nothing too serious and he would be discharged on Wednesday.

According to the former left-hand batsman, the discomfort might have occurred because of overexertion caused during exercising. Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was one among those who felt concerned over Lara’s health. In a tweet, he said that he was praying for his “brother and friend” Lara and that the entire fraternity would be looking forward to his speedy recovery. He also called Lara a “legend”.

My heart and prayers goes to my brother and friend @BrianLara. Get well soon legend. Entire cricket fraternity will be praying for you complete recovery. pic.twitter.com/F1DAdIb2SO

— Inzamam ul Haq (@Inzamam08) June 25, 2019

Cricket West Indies also posted on Twitter an audio update from the former batsman on his health. “I think I just maybe extended myself a little bit too much in the gym this morning. I was feeling a bit of pain in my chest so I just felt it was best to see a doctor and I was taken to the hospital. The pain continued so obviously a lot of tests have been done.”

“Just letting everyone know that I’m fine, I’m recovering and I’ll be back in my hotel room tomorrow. A couple of the tests that came back already, the doctors were quite happy that there is nothing major. Thanks for your concern and speak again soon. I’ll be back in Trinidad and I’ll be back in full health very soon.”

UPDATE: Message from @BrianLara
“I am fine. I am recovering and I will be back in my hotel room tomorrow”
????AUDIO ON ????. Click below to hear Brian’s full message ⬇️⬇️⬇️:https://t.co/mWQVBkbJtj pic.twitter.com/cogFzpEjxR

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 25, 2019

Some of Lara’s batting records are jaw-dropping!

Lara holds twin records of highest individual scores in Tests (400 not out) and first-class cricket (501 not out). One of his biggest achievement was to break the highest score in Test cricket not once but twice. In 1994, he had bettered his compatriot Garfield Sobers’ score by making 375 against England.

That record was later broken by Australia’s Matthew Hayden as he hit 380 against Zimbabwe. But in 2004, Lara snatched his crown back by scoring 400 not out against England again. Both the scores of 375 and 400 not out were made in Antigua in a span of a decade. His 501 not out had come for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994 and it still remains the only 500-plus individual innings in first-class cricket.

Lara has almost 12,000 runs in 131 Tests besides 10,405 runs in 299 ODIs. He led the West Indies in two World Cups (1999 and 2007) but failed to take his team to the semi-finals even once.