Archie MacLaren, born December 1, 1871, led England in 22 of the 35 Tests of his career. A batsman of style and panache, he was a controversial and often unpopular character who struggled with financial problems all his life. Arunabha Sengupta looks back at the life and career of the man who was described by Neville Cardus, rather misleadingly, as the ‘Noblest Roman of All’.