A couple of days ago, former India pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji announced his retirement from first-class cricket. Balaji took a total of 330 first-class wickets at an average of 26.1 and an economy of 2.8 with his career-best figures being 7/42.
Balaji made his debut for the Indian cricket team in 2002 and was a regular in the team before injuries forced him out of the game from 2005 to 2008. He made brief comebacks into the national team in 2009 and 2012; with the latter year being his last year in international cricket.
Balaji’s career-best figures in Test cricket is 5/76, his career-best figures in ODIs is 4/48 and in T20Is, his career-best figures are 3/19.
Let’s take a look at five of his best international performances.
#5 3/37 vs South Africa at Colombo, 2012
It was India’s final Super Eight match at the 2012 ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka. After a loss and a win against Australia and Pakistan respectively, India needed to beat South Africa by a decent margin to qualify for the semi-finals. Being put into bat first, India ended their innings scoring 152/6.
In their total defence, India began well but South Africa bounced back through Faf du Plessis’ 38-ball 65 and were in a good position.
India bounced back with Zaheer Khan and Balaji picking up crucial wickets with South Africa now needing 14 off the last over. The Tamil Nadu pacer was given the responsibility of bowling the final over. He was hit for a six by Albie Morkel, but bowled him in the very next delivery.
In the fourth ball of the over, Balaji was hit for a six again by Albie’s brother Morne. However, he bowled him the very next delivery to win the match for India.
Even though India couldn’t qualify for the semi-finals, Balaji helped India to a very memorable and end their World T20 campaign on a high. This also turned out to be Balaji’s final appearance in an India shirt.
#4 3/22 vs Pakistan at Colombo, 2012
After winning all their group games at the 2012 ICC World T20, India were on the backfoot after losing to Australia in their opening Super Eight match and needed to win their next match against Pakistan to keep their hopes in the tournament alive.
Indian pacer, Balaji was recalled to the playing eleven. Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez opted to bat first and India were off to a good start after getting rid of the hard-hitting Imran Nazir in the second over.
However, Shahid Afridi promoted himself up the order and was beginning to settle down on the pitch before Balaji got the better of him.
Balaji prevented Pakistan from scoring too many runs on the board and eventually helped India bowl out Pakistan for a paltry 128.
He came to bowl in the death overs and took the key wicket of Umar Gul, who had helped Pakistan snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in their previous match against South Africa, before getting the final wicket of Saeed Ajmal.
India comfortably chased down 129 thanks to Virat Kohli’s 78 off 61 balls to keep their hopes in the tournament alive.
#3 5/76 vs Pakistan at Mohali, 2005
Pakistan were touring India in 2005 and the opening Test of the series was held at Mohali. Pakistan were off to a shaky start in the first innings and were reeling at 30/2 before Taufeeq Umar and Inzamam-ul-Haq started to rebuild the Pakistan innings by putting up a 59-run partnership for the third wicket.
Balaji eventually broke the partnership by bowling out Taufeeq Umar. Pakistan tried to bounce back but Balaji’s performance with the ball never really allowed them to do so. Eventually, Balaji took his first and only five-wicket haul in Tests and ended with career-best figures of 5/76 as Pakistan were dismissed for 312.
India responded well in their first innings by putting up a total of 516 thanks to Virender Sehwag’s 173. However, Pakistan batted strongly in the second innings and declared at 496/9 which was enough to draw the match.
Balaji returned with figures of 95/4 in the second innings.
Even though India weren’t able to win the Test match, Balaji’s 9-wicket haul was impressive and one to remember.
#2 4/63 vs Pakistan at Rawalpindi, 2004
After beating Pakistan in the ODI series in their own backyard, India were looking to do the same in the Test series. Coming into the third and final Test at Rawalpindi, both teams were locked in a stalemate at 1-1 in the series.
Indian skipper, Sourav Ganguly, put in Pakistan to bat first and the Indian pacers, especially Balaji, put up a brilliant display and the hosts were soon tottering at 137/8.
However, Mohammad Sami and Fazl-e-Akbar staged a fightback of their own and took the Pakistan score past 200 before they were dismissed for 224. Balaji took a then career-best figures of 4/63 to help India restrict Pakistan to a modest total.
The Indian batting put up a mammoth score of 600 in their first innings, mainly thanks to Rahul Dravid’s 270, in addition to half-centuries from Parthiv Patel, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman. Pakistan were trailing by 376 runs and in the second innings, collapsed for 245, thus giving India their maiden series victory over Pakistan in Pakistan in both Tests and ODIs.
Balaji returned with figures of 108/3 in the second innings, but it was his figures of 63/4 in the first innings that kept Pakistan at bay and allowed India to take a huge lead over them.
#1 4/48 vs Australia at Brisbane
It was the fifth ODI of the VB series between India and Australia and India opted to bat first. Openers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly gave a steady start to the team before Ganguly was dismissed for 18. In came VVS Laxman, and he along with Tendulkar, put up a partnership of 110 for the second wicket to put India in command. He formed another century partnership, this time with Rahul Dravid, and soon reached his century, scoring 103 as India ended their innings with 303 runs on the board.
Australia responded well with the bat as opener Matthew Hayden hit one boundary after another.
However, India were focused on taking wickets and thanks to Lakshmipathy Balaji, they were able to get rid of the dangerous middle-order duo of Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn in quick succession.
After the dismissal of Hayden, India were well in the game, and Balaji inflicted further damage on the Australians by taking another couple of wickets and India eventually won the match by 19 runs.
Balaji returned with career-best figures of 48/4, which was surely one Balaji’s best bowling performance in an India shirt.
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