PETALING JAYA: When India made their debut in Test cricket 89 years ago this month at Lord's, a spirited young Malayan was a member of the greenhorn team that surprised world cricket.

Kuala Lumpur-born Lall Singh Gill found himself at the most famous ground in world cricket, facing an English side of reputable stars.

Playing with a maturity which belied his 22 years, Lall was described by the media as "an extraordinary quick mover, who glided over the ground like a snake."

India rattled a star-studded England before the three-day match was taken away from them under glorious sunshine and 25,000 people.

Lall prospered in alien conditions. In the first innings, Lall ran out Frank Woolley with 15 runs, and held one catch. Veteran Indian journalist Pratab Ramchand wrote: "It was Lall's brilliant anticipation, pick up and throw which ran out Frank Woolley in the first innings."

In the second innings, with the game virtually lost, he and Amar Singh set up a thrilling counter-attack, adding 29 and 45 runs respectively in 40 minutes for the eighth wicket.

India, captained by the Maharaja of Porbandar, lost the match by 158 runs. But Lall had made the leap from prospect to the real deal, heralding the coming of age of Malaya's most talented cricketer, playing for another country, in a different country.

Lall Singh Gill, in white turban, in action during the India-England Test match in London.

Lall remains the only Malaysian to have played Test cricket and the first to feature at an international arena in any sport.

He had started his record-breaking when he became the first local to play for Malaya in a team that comprised European and Australian players.

He was to have a short first-class career in cricket-mad India where some say he was the first outstanding Indian fieldsman.

When he returned to Kuala Lumpur, he did much to foster talent and encourage the game.

He shaped the careers of some of Malaysian cricket's outstanding figures from Mike Shepherdson, Gurucharan Singh to Ranjit Singh.

Lall's story, hitherto lost in the mist of history, has now been chronicled in the book, "Sikhs in Malaysia: A Comprehensive History", by historian Ranjit Singh Malhi.

The stories resonate beyond cricket: a young man exploring new horizons, war, his time as an aide to the Maharaja of Patiala, love, and even his stint as a nightclub owner.

Lall, born in 1909, showed his triumphs were as important as his challenges and moments of resilience.

Ranjit said Lall's cricket journey began at the age of 14 when he played for the Victoria Institution. When he was hardly 16, he made the Selangor team and the Federated Malay States XI.

By 1931, Lall was already a well-known cricketer in Malaya and caught the eye of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The board called him for trials there in early 1932.

"That's how he first made a name for himself as a cricketer in India," said Ranjit.

After his short spell with the Indian cricket team, Lall lived there, working as the aide-de-camp to the Maharaja of Patiala from 1933 until 1936.

Later, he left for Paris and got married to Myrtle Watkins, an African-American singer. Lall briefly managed his wife's career and also ran a nightclub in Paris.

The couple later separated and Lall returned to Malaya in 1939.

Upon Lall's retirement, the Royal Selangor Club hired him as their chief groundsman and coach. He died on Nov 19, 1985.

For his outstanding services to sports, Lall received numerous awards and in honour of the legend, the Lall Singh Trophy has been contested annually between North Sikhs and South Sikhs.