Top 10 Karnataka cricketers to have played for India - Part 2

Let’s take a look at the next set of players who have not only been performers on the cricket field, but have also come back to serve Karnataka and Indian cricket in various capacities. This list has not been created to make comparisons between any of these players, but is an attempt to remember fondly the achievements of these men who have made the state of Karnataka and its residents proud. To read Part 1 of this list click here.

6. E.A.S Prasanna

E A S Prasanna, India v England, 3rd Test, Madras, Jan 1976-77

‘Pras’ was a favourite amongst members of the Indian cricket team of the 70′s as well as his Karnataka team mates whom he so admirably led to two Ranji trophy triumphs.

Erapalli Prasanna was an off spinner in the classical mode and was known for his tremendous ability to outfox batsmen with his late dip and turn. Prasanna has always spoken about the need for spin bowlers to have an attacking mindset, but yet be patient and beat the batsman with guile and flight.

Prasanna played 49 Test matches for India and was able to collect a whopping 189 wickets. He was also among the fastest to reach 100 Test wickets, which he picked in just 20 matches.

Prasanna was able to pick more than 8 wickets in a match, on nine occasions in his illustrious career. Which means that once in every five matches he was going to ensure eight wickets or more to the team, which is phenomenal.

His best bowling figures of 11 for 140 came in a Test match at Auckland in New Zealand, a place not traditionally known to assist the spinners. This feat in itself speaks volumes, for the ability the man possessed.

Prasanna has been awarded the “Padma Sri” by the government of India in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cricket.

7. Syed Kirmani

Indian wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani during the 4th test match at Calcutta, January 1982

Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani, was called “Kiri” by most of his team mates and is arguably one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen of his era.

‘Kiri’ was sharp behind the stumps, especially keeping to Bedi, Chandra, Prasanna and Venkat. Making his way into the Indian team was not easy as he had to step into the shoes of the charismatic Farokh Engineer. But Kirmani went about the job in a quiet and efficient way and ended up being remembered as a fun character himself.

Syed Kirmani is most remembered for that patient 26 run knock he made batting alongside the great Kapil Dev in the 1983 World Cup, which helped India stay in the tournament and eventually win it.

But Kirmani has also had some other significant knocks that went unnoticed, such as the brilliant 101 not out that he scored playing as a night watchman against Australia at Mumbai. He also scored an unbeaten 102 against England, again at Mumbai in 1984.

Kirmani’s career extended from 1976-1986, and he played 88 matches with 198 dismissals to his name. 160 of them were catches and he also has 38 stumpings to his credit. He also won the award for best wicket keeper in the 1983 World cup.

The multi faceted Syed Kirmani also had a small stint in the movies when he acted alongside his former team mate Sandeep Patel in a Hindi feature film.

8. Venkatesh Prasad

Venkatesh Prasad of India appeals for LBW against Steve Waugh of Australia

The gentle giant from Karnataka, Venkatesh Prasad is a docile character off the cricket field. But put him on the field and he turns in to a mean fast bowler who is extremely miserly with his runs.

Venkatesh Prasad’s greatest asset was the control he had in his bowling. He maintained a great line and was never afraid to pitch the ball up to the batsmen as he had the ability to seam the ball both ways.

In seamer friendly conditions, Prasad would literally make the batsmen dance to his tune. In his debut series in England, Prasad bowled with great success picking up 15 wickets from the three matches he played. It was here that he forged his famed partnership with Javagal Srinath, and the two of them bowled in tandem over the next four years for India.

Prasad picked his first ten wicket haul in Durban, South Africa. He started off the series in memorable fashion for India by bowling the South African opener Gary Kirsten with a ball that came in, and beat him neck and crop. He picked seventeen wickets in the three match series.

One of Prasad’s best Test matches was against Pakistan at Chennai when he picked 6 for 33 in the second innings and in the course of that spell he went through a patch where he picked five wickets for zero runs.

Overall, Prasad played 33 Test matches and picked up 96 wickets. He also had a successful ODI career playing 161 matches and picking up 196 wickets overall.

A Venkatesh Prasad article can never be complete without the mention of the the 1996 World cup clash with Pakistan. Pakistan had made a good start chasing down India’s 287, with the rampaging Pakistani opener Aamir Sohail in no mood to relent. Sohail smashed a boundary to cover and pointed to the boundary indicating where Prasad should go and pick up the ball. A billion Indian fans celebrated, when in the very next ball, Prasad sent the left-hander’s off stump cartwheeling.

This is the stuff dreams are made out of.

9. Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid of India bats during day three of the Second Test Match between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 5, 2012

The Technician, Rahul Dravid had a defence that nobody could breach. Bowlers at the school level in Bangalore, bowlers at the inter state level competitions and then the bowlers at the International level have all tried in vain, to breach that close bat and pad. They are still trying… but its too late, the man has retired.

Rahul Dravid had immense powers of concentration, a trait that was going to hold him in good stead when he took on the Australians at Adelaide in 2003. He batted for 835 minutes in the course of two innings at the crease, scoring 233 in the first innings and then remaining not out on 72 in the second, to lead India to a memorable victory over Australia.

The victory in Australia was something that had not happened in over a generation. With 13,288 Test runs, Dravid is only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting in the list of all time highest run getters.

Against many expectations, Dravid reinvented himself to develop into an extremely important part of India’s ODI successes. In the late 90′s and early 2000′s Dravid even donned the role of wicket keeper and played a key role with India struggling to find an all-rounder during the period.

Dravid also went on to captain India in 25 Tests and 79 ODIs and is credited for being astute with decisions on the field and also being a great ambassador off of it.

If you ever wanted an Indian batsman to bat for you while your life was on the line, you better choose Rahul Dravid.

10. Anil Kumble

Indian captain Anil Kumble is chaired round the pitch on a lap of honour by his team mates after announcing his retirement from Test cricket during day five of the Third Test match between India and Australia at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on November 2, 2008 in New Delhi

Nayan Mongia, the India wicket keeper, nick named Anil Kumble as ‘Jumbo’. The reason was because the ball bounced off the pitch like a jumbo jet.

Anil Kumble had untiring will power and determination, and when on the cricket field, possessed the fire of a warrior. Any player mis-fielding the ball of Kumble’s bowling had to be ready to face his ire.

This fighting nature of Kumble, came to the fore in a Test match at Antigua when he continued to bowl despite having a broken jaw. The image of Kumble, bandaged around his face and still continuing to bowl will be etched in every in cricket fans memory.

With 956 international wickets to his name, this man holds most of the records that can be achieved as a bowler. Kumble has 619 wickets in Test cricket which puts him in third position in the all time list of highest wicket takers, only behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.

And while we are on the subject of records, Kumble picked up all ten wickets against Pakistan in a Test match at Delhi, making him only the second man in history after Jim Laker of England to pick all ten wickets in an innings.

Kumble also has 337 ODI wickets and 1136 first class wickets, and the list just goes on and on.

But one record that Kumble will keep closest to his heart will be his first and only Test century that he scored at the Oval against England. It was a 17 year wait, and Kumble celebrated it in his own inimitable fashion.

Anil Kumble held the captaincy of India for a brief period in 2007 and 2008, but the period was an important one for Indian cricket. First he helped India beat the Pakistan at home, and then in a highly charged up encounter in Australia, he was able to keep the players tempers in check and the series ended up being a memorable one.

Anil Kumble remains one of the most respected cricketers to have played for India, and the people of Karnataka love and admire him to no end.

Bangalore has named a junction in the city after the great man, in admiration of one of their favourite sons.