Former India pace bowler, cricket coach and commentator Venkatesh Prasad was born on 5 August 1969. A right-handed pacer known for his ability to swing the ball on both ways, Prasad was a major force in India’s new ball attack in the late 1990s. Along with Javagal Srinath, he has led India to commanding positions on several occasions.
Prasad made his international debut in the Test format in 1996 and remained a regular in the side for the next five years. Being a tall pacer and having a variety of slow cutters in his arsenal, the Karnataka cricketer has enjoyed more success in favourable conditions abroad than at home.
The 55-year-old has represented India in 33 Tests and 161 ODIs. He took 96 wickets in the longest format of the game at an average of 35, including seven five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul. Coming to 50-over cricket, Prasad has taken 196 wickets at an economy rate of 4.67, including 5/27 – his best figure in this format.
While his five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England and the West Indies were notable, Prasad’s career highlight was his 6/33 against Pakistan in Chennai in 1999. His incredible spell in the second innings shattered Pakistan’s batting unit and gave India the game.
Prasad continues to serve cricket after retirement
As with many players, consistency and injuries were Prasad’s nemesis in the 2000–01 season. The emergence of Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra also made it difficult for the Bengaluru seamer to find his spot in the national side. Eventually, Prasad announced his retirement in 2005 and decided to try his hand at coaching.
Notably, Prasad was the coach of the India U-19 side that finished runners-up in the 2006 World Cup. He was appointed India’s bowling coach in 2007 following their disappointing performance in the World Cup. A keen observer of the match, Prasad also trained Indian Premier League (IPL franchises such as Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.
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