Ashok Menaria – A star in the making

Ashok Menaria also impressed in last year’s IPL with the Rajasthan Royals (Getty Images)

A wonderful performance by Ashok Menaria again, displaying outstanding skills against New Zealand A. First, with his accurate bowling, he took two crucial wickets giving away just 45 runs. Then, later in the match he chipped in with a timely contribution of 69 valuable runs. India A had already won the series, but a clean sweep is something special, which became possible only on account of the wonderful performance of the talented Menaria.

Yes, this is Ashok Menaria, the latest arrival onto the Indian cricket horizon. He has proved his worth as a much needed all-rounder. He is a left-handed batsman and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. This 22-year-old cricketer belongs to Rajasthan. He has already played for India-A, India under-19, India under-23, Rajasthan and Rajasthan Royals.

A native of Udaipur, Ashok Lakshminarayan Menaria belongs to the priest community of Rajasthan. A godly touch, you could say? He started his career by playing at the under-15 level (2005-2006) and under 17 level (2006-2007) for Rajasthan. He came into the limelight when he scored 227 runs in a game against Karnataka Under-17s – starring in an unbeaten partnership of 397 with Ankit Lamba.

Ashok Menaria is one of the bright upcoming young players in the country. Captain of the Indian team at the 2010 ICC U-19 World Cup, Menaria also played a key role in his state side’s first ever Ranji Trophy triumph. He scored centuries in three crucial games – the quarter-final, semi-final and the final. This sparkling batsman is also a good fielder. This shows his commitment, confidence and dedication for the game.

He times his shots very well and improvises according to the demands of the situation. However, he needs to keep his shots along the ground and under control to prevent the possibility of being caught. This hard working and confident cricketer’s skills need to be sharpened and there will be no looking back. Today, in absence of versatile all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, Team India is really looking forward to a good all-rounder and Menaria seems to be the perfect choice. He will have to impress by performing consistently though.

The way he has played in this recent series against New Zealand A, he has caught the public eye, and he should be given a regular chance to showcase and polish his talent. For now, the future seems bright.

Good luck Ashok, the possibilities are unlimited – just stay focused.