Best Gallerys

Sachin Tendulkar

2010-09-17T05:16:00.001-07:00

Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Mumbai, Yorkshire
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak googly

Demigod to millions of cricket fans around the world, Sachin Tendulkar is perhaps the greatest batsman the world has seen after the great Sir Don Bradman. Playing international cricket from age 16, breaking and setting records all along, Sachin Tendulkar is indeed a gift to the cricketing world. From being a child prodigy who made a century on first class debut to becoming the player to score the most number of international centuries, Sachin Tendulkar has done it all. He made his debut against Pakistan in 1989 and has since played 132 Tests and 363 ODIs and has averages of 55 and 44 respectively. He has scored 74 international centuries which is more than anyone else. He is also only the second Indian to score 10,000 runs in Tests.

Sachin Tendulkar was made captain of India in 1996 but found the job unsuitable and resigned in 1998, only to be appointed captain once again in 1999-2000. This time also he resigned and Sourav Ganguly was made the new skipper. This is perhaps one of the few achievements that has eluded Tendulkar-leading the side successfully. However once free from the additional responsibilities, Sachin went back to his brilliant form and continued to pile up runs. Mentally strong and a very deep thinking cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar is a master of the game. Apart from his blistering batting, he can also bowl and has often bowled the side to victory. He is a complete team man, unassuming and selfless. This was specially highlighted when he returned to join the team in England during the 1999 World Cup after the sad demise of his father.

With still some years of cricket left in him, Sachin Tendulkar will only further establish his rock solid position in cricket and keep entertaining and amazing fans all over. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Sachin Tendulkar and other cricketers around the world.

Kapil Dev

2010-09-17T05:15:00.002-07:00

Full name Kapildev Ramlal Nikhanj
Born January 6, 1959, Chandigarh
Major teams India, Haryana, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm fast-medium

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1983

A giant among the cricketing legends of India, Kapil Dev was an all rounder of the rarest breed. His was a big-hearted bowler and a clean hitter of the ball. In 2002, Kapil Dev was declared India's Cricketer of the Century. Kapil Dev at one point of time held the record of the highest wicket taker in test cricket when he surpassed Richard Hadlee's 431 wickets. Kapil Dev's batting was also indispensable to the Indian side. His ability to hook the ball and play attacking shots made him a favorite of the crowd. Of Kapil Dev's many good performances with the bat, the most remembered one is his innings of 175 not out against Zimbabwe; the knock came in at the time when India was reeling at 17 for 5. Kapil Dev's best performance with the ball came against the West Indies at Ahmedabad when he took 9 for 83.

Kapil Dev played in 131 test matches and scored 5248 runs and took 434 wickets. In 225 ODIs, he scored 3783 runs and took 253 wickets. Kapil Dev was the captain when India brought home the World Cup in 1983; the rest of his stint as a captain was forgettable.

Kapil Dev is spoken of in the same breath as Ian Botham, Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee, as the one of the great all rounders of the game. After his retirement from test cricket in 1994, Kapil Dev has channelized his passion to golfing. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Kapil Dev and other Great Cricket Players.

Vinod Kambli

2010-09-17T05:15:00.001-07:00

Full name Vinod Ganpat Kambli
Born January 18, 1972, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major teams India, Boland, Mumbai
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm offbreak

Even before Vinod Kambli had made a foray into test cricket, he had an early brush with fame when as a seventeen year old, he along with the sixteen-year-old Sachin Tendulkar had put on an unbeaten partnership of 664 runs in a school match. Not many at that stage of time doubted that Vinod Kambli would outshine his younger school friend. Vinod Kambli made his debut against England at Kolkata in 1993. In his first seven innings, Vinod Kambli scored two double centuries and two single centuries. With such outstanding performances glory seemed only at an arm's distance from Vinod Kambli. But this was not to be. Glory played false on the flamboyant Vinod Kambli and soon the talented cricketer was warming the benches while his teammates played.

Vinod Kamblis dwindling scores led many to conclude that he was ineffectual against teams with strong bowling attack. Many believed test cricket with all its trappings of professionalism was incongruous with Vinod Kambli's lifestyle; moreover, his technique had loopholes that only got amplified in test cricket. Thus in spite of averaging 54.20 from 17 test matches, Vinod Kambli has such into oblivion. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Vinod Kambli and other Great Cricket Players.

Zaheer Khan

2010-09-17T05:14:00.002-07:00

Full name Zaheer Khan
Born October 7, 1978, Shrirampur, Maharashtra
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Baroda, Surrey, Worcestershire
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Left-arm fast-medium

Zaheer Khan surprised everyone with his pace during his debut match in the ICC Knockout Tournament in Kenya in 2000. He exhibited genuine pace along with swing and was able to swing the ball on both sides of the wicket. He was consistent in his performance and though he missed out on a few matches, he was always seen as a bright, young bowling prospect for India. However it was only in 2002 that Zaheer Khan took centre stage and showed the world his real potential when he had a magical West Indies tour. He followed it up with good performances against New Zealand and England and even had a fairly good World Cup. But a hamstring injury forced him out of action for some months and on his return he could not repeat his good form. He had lost some of his pace and the batsmen were less troubled by him. He has since been sidelined from the national team and has restored to playing first class cricket. He signed up with Worcestershire and even after a good season with the county in 2005, failed to make a comeback to international cricket. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Zaheer Khan and other cricketers around the world.

Yuvraj Singh

2010-09-17T05:14:00.001-07:00

Born on 12 December 1981 in Chandigarh, Yuvraj Singh inherited his unique talent from his father, and former Indian fast bowler Yograj Singh.

An all rounder, left-hand batsman and slow left-arm orthodox Yuvraj, has the ability to strike the ball very hard. But Yuvraj Singh will always be remembered for his remarkable performance in Twenty-20 World Cup, bringing the trophy back and making India proud.

“Six sixes in Six balls”, who can forget that, blistering knock and a great innings, which helped him enter the record books to score six sixes in one over and scoring fastest 50 in just 12 balls. Face of several leading brands, Yuvraj is raking moolahs, and to add top it all is the Indian Premier league auction. In such short span of his career, Yuvraj Singh has reached the “iconic status,” surely there’s nothing stopping for him.

Before his debut match against Australia in October 2000, few had thought that Yuvraj Singh would almost single handedly take India to victory against the world champions. But he did just that and with a stylish 84 and some breathtaking fielding announced his grand arrival in international cricket. He was previously known as a member of the Indian Under 19 side that had recently won the World Cup. However he took to international cricket like a natural and with his raw talent, tremendous strength and amazing determination, Yuvraj Singh soon cemented his place in the ODI team. He is specially remembered for his performance in the 2002 Natwest Series in England where he contributed heavily to assure India's fairytale run ended in victory. His Test debut got delayed by sometime and he finally played his first test in 2003 when captain Sourav Ganguly could not play owing to injury. After being in and out of the team for some time, he now is a regular in the Test team as well. However he is seen more as a one-day player, he is irreplaceable in the Indian team at the moment. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Yuvraj Singh and other cricketers around the world

Ajay Jadeja

2010-09-17T05:13:00.001-07:00

Full name Ajaysingh Jadeja
Born February 1, 1971, Jamnagar, Gujarat
Major teams India, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium

Ajay Jadeja came into the Indian side as a young enthusiastic player, who did not mind dirtying his whites by diving around. Yes, Ajay Jadeja loved diving around in the field and persistently tried conning teammates to dive too, but of course his teammates knew better. Ajay Jadeja developed into an aggressive batsman in ODIs and enjoyed indulging the batsmen with his innocuous medium pacers. His batting was a suspect against fast bowling as a result Ajay Jadeja could play no more than 15 test matches. One of the most memorable innings that Ajay Jadeja played was his 25-ball 45 against Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal.

In 2000, in the wake of proven match-fixing allegations against Ajay Jadeja, the BCCI pronounced a ban of five years on him. Thus with his cricketing career verging on uncertainty, Ajay Jadeja decided to keep himself fit by running around the trees in Hindi movies. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Ajay Jadejaand other Great Cricket Players.

Harbhajan Singh

2010-09-17T05:12:00.002-07:00

Full name Harbhajan Singh
Born July 3, 1980, Jullundur (now Jalandhar), Punjab
Major teams India, Punjab, Surrey
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Harbhajan Singh is an exciting off-spinner, who looks to be the only one at the moment capable of carrying on India's tradition of spin bowling after Anil Kumble. At the time of Harbhajan Singh's initiation into test cricket, his arm action, which to some seemed like chucking, came under a glare, thus putting his career in jeopardy. Harbhajan fought his way back and came out an even more improved bowler. Harbhajan Singh's brightest moment in test cricket came in the series against Australia when he took 32 wickets in 3 tests. His haul of wickets included a hat-trick, a rare feat by an Indian in test cricket.

Harbhajan Singh's detractors point out that the off-spinner's test record pales out if one can considers his away record. In home series, Harbhajan Singh averages little over 25 but his away average stands at ungainly 40s. With the bat, Harbhajan Singh can be extremely entertaining and has scored over 2000 runs in first class cricket. The Turbanator, as Harbhajan Singh is fondly called, has come up with a special bowling variation, which he calls a doosra. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Harbhajan Singh and other Great Cricket Players.

Javagal Srinath

2010-09-17T05:12:00.001-07:00

Full name Javagal Srinath
Born August 31, 1969, Mysore, Karnataka
Major teams India, Gloucestershire, Karnataka, Leicestershire
Playing role Bowler
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Javagal Srinath has been one of the most successful bowlers of India. He debuted in 1991-'92 and straightaway attracted the attention of everyone with his speed. He was one of the few, and probably the only bowler after Kapil Dev, who could generate as much pace. In his 67 Tests, he has taken 236 wickets at an average of 30.49 with best figures of 8-86. Srinath has also had ten five wicket hauls. His batting skills weren't negligible as well, as he scored 1009 runs with a highest score of 76. He was an entertaining batsman who loved to hit big shots while playing lower down the order. In the shorter version of the game, he played 229 matches, claiming 315 wickets at an average of 28.03 and has scored 883 runs with a highest score of 53.

Javagal Srinath retired in 2003 after the World Cup, his last international outing. He was an integral member of the team for many years and an absolutely indispensable bowler for many captains. He was a disciplined man and contributed consistently. After retiring Srinath was made an ICC match referee and also tried his hands in commentary. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Javagal Srinath and other cricketers around the world.

Robin Singh

2010-09-17T05:11:00.002-07:00

Full name Rabindra Ramanarayan Singh
Born September 14, 1963, Princes Town, Trinidad
Major teams India, South Trinidad, Tamil Nadu, Trinidad
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm medium-fast

Robin Singh represented India in one Test and 136 ODIs. He was a very useful all-rounder and was known specially for his capabilities to finish off matches. He played many a useful innings to rescue the team from crunch situations. However, he was not just a pinch hitter, as his tally of 2336 runs, including a century and 9 half centuries would prove. He would bowl medium pacers and filled in as a great backup bowler. In his career, he took a total of 69 wickets and had two five wicket hauls. Robin Singh also contributed as an excellent fielder. He was very athletic and very seldom did he put down a catch or let the ball get past him. After retirement, he took up coaching. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Robin Singh and other cricketers around the world.

Virender Sehwag

2010-09-17T05:11:00.001-07:00

Full name Virender Sehwag
Born October 20, 1978, Delhi
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Delhi, ICC World XI, Leicestershire, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm offbreak

An explosive batsman and a complete entertainer are what describe Virender Sehwag best! He made a sparkling Test debut against South Africa, scoring a flawless 105. He was initially compared to his idol Sachin Tendulkar for his physical stature, style and aggressiveness. However what distinguishes him from Tendulkar is his boldness and complete confidence in playing the big shots. This fact was further ascertained when he hit a six to reach 300 - his and India's first.

Sehwag has played 45 Tests and 151 ODIs for India. Apart from being a superb batsman, he is also a very useful bowler and bowls in almost every match. He is known for his good fielding as well. Though a master of both forms of the game, Sehwag has performed better in Tests. He has an average of 52 with 12 hundreds and 12 half centuries. He is a dangerous cricketer and can be as devastating with the bat as he can with the ball on his given day. He has taken over 80 international wickets proving that he is not just an ordinary back-up bowler. Virender Sehwag captained India in one Test against Sri Lanka in 2003 and emerged victorious. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Virender Sehwag and other cricketers around the world.

Sunil Gavaskar

2010-09-17T05:10:00.000-07:00

Full name Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
Born July 10, 1949, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major teams India, Mumbai, Somerset
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm medium

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1980

Sunil Gavaskar ushered in sunny days for Indian cricket by becoming one of the most dependable opening batsmen in test cricket. Sunil Gavaskar had an impeccable technique and a calm temperament, both of which helped to frustrate some of the most fearsome of bowlers in his era. Sunil Gavaskar's measure as a wonderful opening batsman is evident from his record in the West Indies. While the rest of the batsmen were busy devising ways of evading the fearsome West Indian bowlers, the latter were scratching their heads thinking about the ways of getting Sunil Gavaskar out. Sunil Gavaskar also captained India for many tests though with mixed results. His approach was considered too defensive at times. The results notwithstanding, Sunil Gavaskar was responsible for bringing a sense of professionalism in the Indian side.

In the 125 test matches he played, Sunil Gavaskar scored 10112 runs at an average of 51.12.He was the first man in history of cricket to score over 10000 runs. His amazing tally of 34 test centuries survived for a long time before being broken by Sachin Tendulkar. Sunil Gavaskar also played in 108 ODIs and scored 3092 runs at an average of 35.13. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Sunil Gavaskar and other Great Cricket Players.

Sourav Ganguly

2010-09-17T05:09:00.002-07:00

Full name Sourav Chandidas Ganguly
Born July 8, 1972, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Bengal, Glamorgan, Lancashire
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm medium

Years hence, when criticisms and controversies surrounding Sourav Ganguly are passing their days in the solitude of a quiet retirement, he will be considered one of the finest batsmen to grace the game. The standing ovation that Sourav Ganguly received when he made his debut at Lords in England in 1996, was not a mere appreciation of the 131 runs he had made, but a sincere gesture of gratitude for showing how close to poetry batting can be. The days of Sourav Ganguly's opening partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar were one the brightest moments in Indian cricket history. The duo gave India 16-century opening partnerships in one-day internationals.

Credit should be given to Sourav Ganguly for having resuscitated a fighting spirit among the Indian cricketers. He was arguably the best Indian captain whose manner of plain speaking and uncompromising attitude brought out the best from his men. Under his captaincy, India transgressed the well-preserved tradition of losing away test matches and a spirit of positive approach floated around the entire team. In 2005, Sourav Ganguly became the third batsman in the world after Sachin Tendulkar and Inzamam Ul Haq, to reach 10,000 runs in one-day internationals, Many refuse to see a coincidence in the overlapping of the slump in Sourav Ganguly's performance with the introduction of one bouncer per over by ICC in 2000. Armed with statistics, they destroy all memories of some of the finest innings that Sourav Ganguly played for India and the countless occasions when he sailed the team out of the storm.

Sourav Ganguly's unfortunate spat with Greg Chappell has received much publicity and precipitated endless rounds of discussions; and amidst all this, the fate of this gifted cricketer lies densely surrounded by a haze of uncertainity. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Sourav Ganguly and other Great Cricket Players.

Rahul Dravid

2010-09-17T05:09:00.001-07:00

Full name Rahul Sharad Dravid
Born January 11, 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Major teams India, Scotland, ACC Asian XI, ICC World XI, Karnataka, Kent
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm off-break
Fielding position Occasional wicketkeeper

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2000

ICC Test Player of the Year 2004

ICC Player of the Year 2004

Rahul Dravid comes as a comfort to those who are perturbed by the feeling that the days of gentlemen cricketers are a passé. Whenever Rahul Dravid plays a good knock, which is quite often, cricket no longer appears to be mere game of bat and ball. Rather it suddenly seems to acquire a long tradition and his batting becomes an elaborate ritual of exorcising the dead legends of the past. Rahul Dravid's batting technique is immaculate. His flowing drives, where his elbow rests right over steady head, his perfect square cuts and his imposing hooks, truly Rahul Dravid seems to possess all the shots in the cricket book, which seems to be authored by none other than himself. Rahul Dravid made his debut against England at Lords in 1996. Even though he was more than impressive in the test matches, Rahul Dravid was never regarded as suitable for the shorter version of the game. In fact he was even dropped from the one-day squad for slow batting. Rahul Dravid has since then bounced back and taken his strike rate to a respectable 70.60.

Rahul Dravid has scored 23 centuries, out of which five of them are double centuries. With over hundred test matches to his credit, Rahul Dravid's batting average is staggeringly close to 60. He is one of the few batsmen in the world who average more overseas than in the friendlier home grounds.

Rahul Dravid's faultless batting has earned him an apt nickname 'The Wall'. Presently, Rahul Dravid is putting his cool head to a good use as the captain of the Indian team. He commands genuine respect and camaraderie among his teammates. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Rahul Dravid and other Great Cricket Players.

Ravi Shastri

2010-09-17T05:08:00.002-07:00

Full name Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri
Born May 27, 1962, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major teams India, Glamorgan, Mumbai
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Slow left-arm orthodox

Ravi Shastri was one of the most dependable players of his time, and though he did not receive the due recognition, he was a very good cricketer. Whether as a top or middle order batsman or as a slow, left arm spinner, Shastri always made a valuable contribution or two. He was also a very experienced vice-captain to many successful captains. He was not a very flashy cricketer, but his technique and consistency were remarkable. Though he was generally regarded as a defensive batsman, he holds the record of hitting six sixes in a single over. The feat was achieved in a Ranji Trophy match in1985. He was a brilliant strategist and led India to victory in the lone Test that he captained in 1987-'88 against West Indies.

After his retirement, Ravi Shastri took up commentary and today is one of the leading and most popular sports presenters of the world. He always had a charm and grace that made him stand out from the rest-the cool demeanor of a cool cricketer. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Ravi Shastri and other cricketers around the world.

Mahendra Dhoni

2010-09-17T05:08:00.001-07:00

Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Born July 7, 1981, Ranchi, Bihar
Major teams India, Jharkhand
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling Style Right-arm medium
Fielding position Wicketkeeper

Mahendra Dhoni is easily the most popular batsman in India at present. His swashbuckling batting and his long flowing mane have made him the latest poster boy. Despite being rather heavily built, Mahendra Dhoni has not allowed any scope for complaint of ineptness in wicket keeping. As far as his batting is concerned it has done nothing if not prospered. Mahendra Dhoni's highest score of 183 runs from 145 balls brought many records crashing down. The score broke Adam Gilchrist's record to become the highest one-day total by a wicket keeper. Saeed Anwar's record of most runs off boundaries was also broken. The inning also exceeded the record of maximum sixes by an Indian, a record previously held by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, both of whom had hit six sixes in their innings. Mahindra Dhoni has an amazing strike rate of over 100 and has so far hit more sixes than his one-day appearances.

Mahendra Dhoni enjoys a high ranking in the ICC one-day ranking for batsmen. In fact, he held the premier position for quite a long time. Mahindra Dhoni is an important part of the Indian team that is gearing itself for the World Cup in 2007. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Mahendra Dhoni and other Great Cricket Players.

Irfan Pathan

2010-09-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

Full name Irfan Khan Pathan
Born October 27, 1984, Baroda, Gujarat
Major teams India, Baroda, Middlesex
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling Style Left-arm medium-fast

When Irfan Pathan debuted for India at the young age of 18, he was compared with Kapil Dev. This was a very valid comparison as Pathan had the uncanny ability to pick up wickets and swing the ball on both sides of the wicket. He was noticed in the Under 19 World Cup where he was particularly successful and picked in the national squad for the 2003 Australian tour. He proved his talent and announced his arrival in style. His ODI debut followed soon, and he emerged as India's strike bowler. Pathan is the only bowler in Test cricket history to have taken a hat trick in the first over of a match. He achieved this feat in the third Test against Pakistan in Karachi in early 2006. Apart from his brilliant bowling, Pathan has also proved to be a very handy batsman. He has chipped in with the bat when required, and that he is not just a pinch hitter can be determined by the fact that he has batted at number three and even opened the batting for India on a few occasions. He has magnificent scores like 83 and 93 to his name.

However, it won't be unfair to say that too much is expected out of this young player, who has of late showed some signs of fatigue. Maybe it would do good if Pathan was relieved of some expectations. He is one of the brightest young stars of world cricket today and a real treasure for India. He will surely go a long way and topple records all along. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Irfan Pathan and other cricketers around the world.

Parthiv Patel

2010-09-17T05:06:00.000-07:00

Full name Parthiv Ajay Patel
Born March 9, 1985, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Major teams India, Gujarat, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI
Playing role Wicketkeeper
Batting style Left-hand bat

Parthiv Patel became the youngest wicketkeeper to represent India when he debuted against England at age 17 in 2002. He was a replacement for the injured Ajay Ratra and fitted the role quite well. Not only was he good behind the stumps, he also began to contribute with the bat, chipping in with handy innings when the team required it the most. He was a part of the 2003 World Cup team in South Africa. However, he soon began to lose his form and started to get sloppy as a wicketkeeper and in the process gave away many runs. After a string of poor performances, he was dropped from the side in 2004. He has not played international cricket since, and with the emergence of Mahindra Singh Dhoni, it seems like Parthiv Patel will really have to work very hard to find his way back to the Indian national team. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Parthiv Patel and other cricketers around the world.

Akash Chopra

2010-09-17T05:05:00.001-07:00

Full name Akash Chopra
Born September 19, 1977, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Major teams India, Delhi
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium

Akash Chopra's entry into test cricket in 2003, was precipitated by the Indian selectors' incessant flirtation with the opening slot. No opener seemed good enough to satisfy them. A couple of failures in the few chances offered and off they went to join the ignominious mob of failed test cricketers. Akash Chopra left the selectors unsure, at least for a while. His ability to keep his wicket on tracks inhospitable for batting and not to mention his solid defense caused the selectors to wonder if they had at found the right man. But soon enough, Akash Chopra was dropped after playing 10 tests and thus letting the selectors to dwell again in their favorite preoccupation. Akash Chopra plays for Delhi and remains a prolific run getter in the domestic circuit. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Akash Chopra and other Great Cricket Players.

Dinesh Mongia

2010-09-17T05:04:00.002-07:00

Full name Dinesh Mongia
Born April 17, 1977, Chandigarh
Major teams India, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Punjab
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

Dinesh Mongia grabbed the attention of the national selectors after he had a brilliant run in the domestic circuit, playing for Punjab since making his debut in 1995-96. He had made nearly 7000 runs at an average of just under 50. So with a record like that, he forced his way into the national side in 2000-01 in the series against Australia. Though he had a quite debut, he managed to show his class soon, by scoring a flashy 50 in his fifth ODI against England. He followed it up with a match winning century against Zimbabwe in 2002 and that earned him his first man of the match award. However, his good form did not continue, and after many disappointing outings, he was dropped from the side. He went to England and played county cricket for Lancashire and Leicestershire and was successful, thereby getting selected in the national team for the 2006 Sri Lanka series. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Dinesh Mongia and other cricketers around the world.

Sanjay Manjrekar

2010-09-17T05:04:00.001-07:00

Full name Sanjay Vijay Manjrekar
Born July 12, 1965, Mangalore, Mysore
Major teams India, Mumbai
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Sanjay Manjrekar was indeed technically sound, but for a batsman believed to be the next Sunil Gavaskar, he didn't live up to expectations. According to experts, he inherited the technicalities from his father Vijay who excelled at it. The hundred he scored against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1988-89 was imperious. He had more in store and a double and single century in Pakistan followed soon. Though unfortunately he made just one more century in his career, a strenuous effort against Zimbabwe. He had to work hard on his rhythm and form on the Australian and South African bouncy pitches. Sadly, he could never bring back that poise and balance. Manjrekar tried out as an opener in 1997, but soon faded out from international cricket. He was an occasional wicket keeper as well.

After announcing his retirement, Sanjay Manjrekar found popularity as a commentator and is one of the leading figures of television commentary today. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Sanjay Manjrekar and other cricketers around the world.

Lakshmipathy Balaji

2010-09-17T05:03:00.000-07:00

Full name Lakshmipathy Balaji
Born September 27, 1981, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Major teams India, Tamil Nadu
Also known as Naidu
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium-fast

Lakshmipathy Balaji is a fighter and he has proved it time and again- whether it is plodding to get the batsmen out or donning the uncomfortable batting hat in the face of another defeat, or even fighting to save his position in the first eleven. After a disastrous oneday debut against West Indies in May 2002, where he conceded 44 runs in four overs, it was easy for everyone to write off Laksmipathy Balaji. Yet he fought back and took home 12 wickets from the test series in Pakistan. Injury impeded his performance in the England tour in 2004 and he had to trudge home midway through the oneday series. He was out for a good year. However, the lanky pace bowler jumped back to the Indian side and took nine wickets in the home series against Pakistan in early 2005. Lakshmipathy Balaji extracts good bounce with his high arm action and has the ability to swing the ball away from the right handed batsman.

Lakshmipathy Balaji is the one of most consistent bowlers in the domestic circuit, a glance at his number of five wicket hauls in an innings reveals it all. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Lakshmipathy Balaji and other Great Cricket Players.

Hemang Badani

2010-09-17T05:02:00.002-07:00

Full name Hemang Kamal Badani
Born November 14, 1976, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Current age 29 years
Major teams India, Tamil Nadu
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox

An extremely graceful batsman and a quick fielder, Hemang Badani's brief stay with test cricket was marked by inconsistencies and few sporadic displays of talent. Hemang Badani made his debut against Zimbabwe in 2002 at Harare. He did not have a sunny time with the bat there but impressed as a fielder. Hemang Badani had a wonderful run playing for India U-19. His consistent performance in the domestic cricket catapulted him the test cricket as an opener. His hundred against Australia in Pune in2001-02 remains his best moment in test cricket. Many feel the selectors should approach players of Hemang Badani's caliber with extreme care and caution, providing timely advice and ample opportunities to allow them to bloom into quality players. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Hemang Badani and other Great Cricket Players.

VVS Laxman

2010-09-17T05:02:00.001-07:00

Full name Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman
Born November 1, 1974, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Current age 31 years
Major teams India, Hyderabad
Playing Role Batsman
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

One of the most stylish left-handers in the world, VVS Laxman is a pure delight to watch when he plays stokes all over the ground. Immensely talented and gifted with timing, VVS Laxman has played many match winning innings for India. Playing specially well against the Australians, he has often teamed up with Rahul Dravid to come up with some of the most spectacular moments of Indian cricket. The 2001 Test at Eden Gardens, Calcutta is one such instant where he scored 281 not out, thereby breaking the record of Sunil Gavaskar and also taking India to a victory after following on against the indomitable Aussies. Though there have been many such career highlights, VVS Laxman had to face the disappointment of being left out of the 2003 World Cup squad. He was surprisingly not included in the team that finished runners up behind Australia. However, the Hyderabadi southpaw has not been able to consistently maintain his good form, failing at crucial stages. This has resulted in him losing a permanent place in the Indian national squad. But given his class, there is no doubt that the services of VVS Laxman will be required by the team in the future. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of VVS Laxman and other cricketers around the world.

Murali Kartik

2010-09-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Full name Murali Kartik
Born September 11, 1976, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Current age 29 years
Major teams India, Lancashire, Railways
Playing role Left Arm Spinner
Batting style Left-hand Bat

Murali Kartik debuted for India in 1999-'00 and caught the attention of many as a very handy left arm spinner. Though always being overshadowed by Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik is remembered most for his performance against Australia in Mumbai in 2004-'05 when he took 7 wickets. He has played over 100 First Class matches for Railways in India and also dabbled with Lancashire. However, after being replaced by teenager Piyush Chawla in the Indian squad, chances of a comeback by him seem bleak. However, he continues to put up a good show in the domestic championships. Murali Kartik has not been able to enjoy the confidence of the selectors and captains and so either he not been selected often or being underbowled, in spite of being a very handy bowler. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Murali Kartik and other cricketers around the world.

Anil Kumble

2010-09-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Full name Anil Kumble
Born October 17, 1970, Bangalore, Karnataka
Current age 35 years
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Karnataka, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Surrey
Playing roleSpinner
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak googly

Anil Kumble is undoubtedly India's greatest spinner of all time. Both in terms of wickets and by being on the victorious side the most number of times. He made his debut in 1990 against England. In just two years time he took his first five-wicket haul (6-53) against South Africa. In 1993-94, in the final of the Hero Cup against West Indies, he set the record of 6-12. Though not a orthodox leg-spinner in the actual sense of the word, his style is extremely successful. With a clever mix of top-spinners, googlies, leg-breaks, flight and a variation of pace, he has piled up wickets after wicket. The mid-nineties saw the surfacing of Anil Kumble as an established strike bowler. But even though he was a confirmed match-winner, he needed something that would take him to new heights. The moment arrived at the Ferozshah Kotla, in early February of 1999, when he single-handedly took all the Pakistani wickets in the second innings to become the second bowler in the history of Test matches to get 10 wickets in an innings. In December 2001, he got his 300th Test wickets. A year later, he reached the feat in one-dayers. In 2004-05 he went past 400 wickets in Tests. He became the first Indian bowler to reach 500 Test wickets, when he dismissed Steve Harmison in the Mohali Test. livescore.warofcricket.com provides the profile of Anil Kumble and other cricketers around the world.

Ajit Agarkar

2010-09-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Full name Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar
Born December 4, 1977, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Current age 28 years
Major teams India, Middlesex, Mumbai
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right hand fast medium

Ajit Agarkar came in the Indian side as a replacement for the irreplaceable Kapil Dev. At first sight this slightly built bowler from Mumbai looks an unlikely fast bowler. But the intensity and the aggression glinting in his green eyes, as he begins his lithe run-up dissolves all doubts of his being a pace bowler. His ability to gather genuine pace has baffled most international batsmen- his record of fastest 50 one day wickets bears enough testimony to his wicket taking talents. Ajit Agarkar is no stranger to batting either. His seven consecutive ducks ordeal against Australia notwithstanding, Ajit Agarkar has to his credit a test hundred, which he scored against England at Lords. He has also scored a fifty in 22 deliveries in a one day match. That Ajit Agarkar has been in and out of the regular Indian side- is a deficiency one would attribute more to the temperamental Indian selectors than to this aggressive fast bowler. Ajit Agarkar appears in every match as an underdog , but like most underdogs, he has the ability to make many self-proclaimed experts eat their own words. livescore.warofcricket.com gives information on Ajit Agarkar and other Great Cricket Players.

Sreesanth

2010-02-27T02:55:00.000-08:00

Full name Shanthakumaran Sreesanth
Born February 6, 1983, Kothamangalam, Kerala
Current age 23 years 18 days
Major teams India, Kerala, Kerala Under-19s
Also known as Gopu
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

For three seasons, S Sreesanth was hardly anything more than an answer to a trivia question - who is the only Kerala bowler to have taken a Ranji Trophy hat-trick ? His rise, though, was rapid, and since he played for a weak side, unnoticed. Not too many bowlers get selected for the Duleep Trophy in their first season, like Sreesanth did in 2002-03 after snapping up 22 wickets in his first seven games. His progress was halted owing to a hamstring injury in the following year, but he returned stronger, with a more side-on action and increased pace and a superb display in the Challenger Trophy, in 2005, propelled him to the national squad for the Sri Lanka series.

Harbhajan suspended after 'slap'

With so much cricket played these days it is often difficult to keep track of who is who and what they are doing. In a new weekly feature Cricinfo will take a look at one player who is making the news, whether at the highest level or an aspiring talent, and tell you what they are all about. This week, it's the turn of India's new star, S Sreesanth
When India's new-found left-arm pace attack let it all slip after a rollicking start in the third Test against Pakistan at Karachi, the fans were crying out for variety. Sreesanth, always in the reckoning for the one-dayers following an impressive start against Sri Lanka last year, broke the monotony, rolling his right arm and bagging six wickets in the series, four of which were snared in a Karachi pitch which looked as dead as the 'dead rubber' encounter. His pace, coupled with his studious demeanour may be far from frightening. Neither is his gentle delivery stride. What is rather disconcerting for the batsman, however, is his ability to swing the ball late and generate sudden movement off the pitch. The frequent dropped catches by his colleagues at Multan notwithstanding, at Karachi Sreesanth had announced his arrival.

He represents the new breed of Indian cricketers who hail from far-flung regions, which in the past have been given the cold shoulder as far as talent-spotting is concerned. Incidentally, Kerala, his homestate, is revered for its sporting culture and has produced several Olympian athletes but has sadly had a dearth of international-quality cricketers. Sreesanth was to change all that. Early on, he took to legspin, modelling his action on Anil Kumble. However, his pace and penchant for slipping the frequent yorker compelled him to take up fast bowling, encouraged by his elder brother. When his predecessor from Kerala, Tinu Yohanan earned a selection to the National Cricket Academy in 2000, Sreesanth worked harder at his craft, making it to the MRF Pace foundation in Chennai. Success followed almost immediately, making his first-class debut in the 2002-03 domestic season, bagging 22 wickets in just seven matches and meriting a selection in the Duleep Trophy squad in the same season.

In October 2003, he had a chance to impress the selectors in a tour match against the visiting New Zealand side at Rajkot. However, he was laid low by a hamstring pull which saw him bowl just 12 overs, taking one wicket. There was speculation as to why he missed five Ranji Trophy games that season, despite travelling and training with the side. The grapevine had it that an astrologer convinced him to take a break for the sake of his longevity in the game. However, Sreesanth flatly denied this claim, stating that he was training just to regain fitness.

He entered the record books the following season, taking a hat-trick against Himachal Pradesh, the first such feat by a Kerala bowler. Back home, he was nicknamed `The Prince of hat-tricks.' National recognition didn't follow till the Challenger Trophy in 2005, when he played for India B. To start with, his name drew more attention than his skills. There was confusion whether to address him as Sreesanth or S Santh, as shown in scorecards (He later insisted on being called by his first name, ie Sreesanth). But, with an entire nation desperately wishing Sachin Tendulkar to rediscover his touch after a long layoff, here, ironically, was Sreesanth's great opportunity to become a giant-killer. The ball jagged in, trapping Tendulkar right in front, and the minute the finger went up, he had acquired his passport to national colours. Timeline

November 2002 - Ranji Trophy debut against Goa
March 2003 - Duleep Trophy debut for South Zone
October 2003 - Plays tour match against visting New Zealand team. Bowls 12 economical overs and takes the wicket of Craig McMillan. Suffers hamstring pull.
November 2004 - Takes a hat-trick against Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, the first by a Kerala cricketer.
October 1 2005 - Irani Trophy debut.
October 13 2005 - Wins the Man-of-the-Series award in the Challenger Trophy with 7 wickets, the joint highest wicket taker with Murali Kartik.
October 25 2005 - ODI debut against Sri Lanka at Nagpur. Takes 2 wickets
February 19 2006 - Takes best bowling figures in ODIs - 4 for 58 against Pakistan at Karachi.

What he says

"For a start, I never expected to get the new ball. I didn't think I'd even play. Then for Rahul bhai (Dravid) to ask me to open the bowling with Irfan (Pathan) was incredible. Since I've got a large percentage of my wickets with yorkers, my friends suggested I start with one. I almost got Salman Butt in the first match at Peshawar."

What they say

Javagal Srinath, after the third ODI at Multan

"What impressed me most was his attitude. For someone who was ill and down the previous day, he played the game with verve. It's an irony in cricket that often when a player is coming out of a niggling injury or a brief illness, he puts up a performance which is above expectations."

Moin Khan

"To me, the find of the series for India has undoubtedly been Sreesanth and irrespective of what happens, this lad has the ability to go a long way and serve his country with merit and distinction."

What you may not know

Sreesanth is an accomplished dancer and was once a national break-dance champion while in the eighth grade. His favourite entertainer is....well Michael Jackson. His folks back home wouldn't have been surprised to see him shake a leg after taking a wicket in Karachi. In an interview to reporters he said, "People recognise me. When I was on stage, I used to do all silly things to be in the limelight. I love dancing."

Sreesanth's talents and ability were recognised in other sports as well, namely, football, table tennis and hockey. Though hailing from the south, Sreesanth speaks Hindi with a distinct North Indian twang. Hindi aside, he also speaks Malayalam, English and Tamil. He is also a student of psychology and an avid reader.

Known for his guts and spontaneity, once as a student, Sreesanth couldn't resist the urge to meet Sachin Tendulkar. Stopped by a security guard, he managed to bluff his way in, saying that Tendulkar had paid for his scholarship. Little did he know that few years later, he would grab Sachin's wicket to earn national selection.

Ashok Dinda

2010-02-27T02:54:00.002-08:00

Ashok Dinda

Full name Ashok Bhimchandra Dinda

Born March 25, 1984, Medinipur, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal
Major teams India, Bengal, East Zone, Kolkata Knight Riders
Batting style Right-hand bat Bowling style Right-arm medium-fast

Hailing from the village of Naichanpur, about three hours from Kolkata, Ashok Dinda was spotted by a coach in Kolkata after bowling a few overs in the nets. The coach, Atal Dev Burman, asked him to stay back and hone his talents. After a stint with Kalighat club and the Australian Institute of Sport, Dinda made his first-class debut for Bengal in the 2005-06 season. He was a regular member of the side that reached the final of the Ranji Trophy the next season, although his performance with the ball wasn't that impressive, with 16 wickets in eight matches at 54.56. He was a late addition to the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008, and shone in the league opener in Bangalore. In September he was awarded a place in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy - a match meant to include Test probables for the Australia series, the following month. His first India call-up was for the Twenty20s against Sri Lanka in 2009 and his maiden international wicket was that of Sanath Jayasuriya.
Ashok Dinda's talent was spotted by a coach in Kolkata after bowling a few overs in the nets. The coach, Atal Dev Burman, asked him to stay back and hone his talents. After a stint with Kalighat club and the Australian Institute of Sport, he made his first-class debut for Bengal in the 2005-06 season. He was a regular member of the side that reached the final of the Ranji Trophy the next season, although his performance with the ball wasn't that impressive, with 16 wickets in eight matches at 54.56. He was a late addition to the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008, and shone in the league opener in Bangalore. In September he was awarded a place in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy - a match meant to include Test probables for the Australia series, the following month.
Ashok Dinda
Ashok Dinda was named in the Israel bound India A Squad which will play three limited overs match against the Israel, players made the side on the basis of his impressive performance in the Indian Premier League.

Sudeep Tyagi

2010-02-27T02:54:00.001-08:00

Sudeep Tyagi
Full name Sudeep Tyagi

Born September 19, 1987, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Major teams India, Chennai Super Kings, Uttar Pradesh
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium

A tall, lean, lively seamer, Sudeep Tyagi burst into the Indian domestic scene with a ten-wicket haul on debut and his roaring success was a sign of things to come, as he finished the Ranji season with 41 wickets, the highest by any bowler across the two leagues. Tyagi's progression to the top was meteoric as he was spotted by the Uttar Pradesh captain Mohammad Kaif at the nets and handed an opportunity in the big league, after the seamer Shalabh Srivastava had drifted into the ICL. He followed his debut heroics with a nine-wicket haul against Andhra and was instrumental in getting UP to the Ranji final. Unfortunately, he suffered a stress fracture to the back and had to withdraw from the IPL, after being named in the Chennai Super Kings squad. Having recovered, he made his way into the India A side for the home series against Australia A and New Zealand A. He finally made his IPL debut the following season in South Africa and his signature moment was the peach of a delivery which castled AB de Villiers. A lively opening spell in the Challenger Trophy final, which sunk India Blue, earned him a national call-up for the ODIs against Australia at home in 2009.

Sudeep Tyagi is emerging on the cricket arena as a promising young talent who has impressed the Indian fans as well as cricket experts. His performance in the domestic tournaments
is outstanding sending positive signals to national team selectors. He took 41 wickets in the Ranji Trophy and emerged as the highest wicket-taker.

Tyagi got an opportunity to play for the League when Shalabh Sriwvastav joined the India Cricket
league. But unluckily he got fracture and couldn’t play for the Indian Premier League despite he was selected in the Chenai team. After heeling, he went to Australia to represent Indian A team.
Sudeep Tyagi
He was born in 1987 and at this young age he may prove a great prospect for the Indian National Team. He is a medium pace right-handed bowler and a good batsman as well. He played for the Uttar Pardesh team against Orissa. During his debut in that match, he grabbed six wickets that lead the team towards the success. As far as his batting was concerned, he could not enter in to double figures until third match of the tournament. He also participated in Duleep Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy and proved himself as an emerging talent.

As far as Tyagi’s Physical structure is concerned, he is thin, tall and effective with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He has great resemblance with Praveen Kumar but he is faster than him. He is being seen as great emerging talent to fortify bowling squad of the UP team with other promising bowlers e.g. Praveen Kumar, R.P. Singh.

Rookie India pacer Sudeep Tyagi wants to forget Feroz Shah Kotla pitch fiasco in his debut match against Sri Lanka and eyeing some impressive performance in the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh.

Tyagi scalped Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara and gave away just 15 runs in 6.3 overs before the one-dayer was abandoned because of dangerous pitch.

"I was quite disappointed with the incident because my international career did not start the way I wanted. I was bowling quite well in the match and my economy rate was also not bad when the game was abandoned after 23.3 overs," Tyagi said.

"But I have left the incident behind and now gearing to produce some good performance in Bangladesh. I am going there with the hope of making a fresh beginning of my career and am very confident about making a mark," the 22-year-old added.

In Bangladesh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men will play a Tri-series, also involving Sri Lanka, before taking the hosts in two Test matches.
.......Back

Ashish Nehra

2010-02-27T02:53:00.000-08:00

Ashish Nehra Statistics
Born: 29 April 1979, Delhi
Major Teams: Delhi, India.
Known As: Ashish Nehra
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Medium Fast

Profile:
Ashish Nehra's selection for the Asian Test Championship match against Sri Lanka at Colombo in February 1999 came as a surprise for he was then in the midst of his second first class season and had done little to suggest he was ready for the highest level. With Javagal Srinath resting a sore shin, Nehra was named to the squad and he sneaked ahead of Laxmi Ratan Shukla into the playing eleven. Still two months short of his twentieth birthday, the leftarmer trapped Marvan Atapattu leg before in his third over for his only success.

Nehra has been in sensational form in the 2000-01 first class season, grabbing 36 wickets at 12.83 in five games for Delhi in the zonal league. In the Duleep Trophy, he played a generous hand in North Zone's title triumph with 14 wickets at less than 20 apiece, including figures of 7/14 against East Zone at Guwahati. Having been named in the 25 probables for the Test series against Australia, Nehra is clearly bracing to slip back imminently into the national team.

Test Debut: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo, Asia-Test, 1998/99
ODI Debut: India v Zimbabwe at Harare, Coca-Cola Cup (Zimbabwe), 2001

Indian media salutes Nehra's six-wicket burst
27 February 2003
NEW DELHI, Feb 27 - Left-arm bowler Ashish Nehra's match-winning six for 23 against England on Wednesday has been hailed by the Indian media as one of the great one-day spells.

The lanky New Delhi bowler, who almost missed the match due to an ankle injury, bowled India to an 82-run victory over England in their World Cup Group A match to stay on course for a place in the tournament's Super Six stage.

"Nehra began the day sitting in the dressing room, waiting for his fitness test... He ended it with six wickets for 23, the third-best bowling figures in World Cup history," the Indian Express said in an article headlined: "Ashish Wednesday".

Left-armer Zaheer Khan and the experienced Javagal Srinath also contributed in a rare display of top-class pace bowling for India, traditionally known to rely on spin.

"Nehra bowled 10 inspired, lethal overs in one single spell to destroy England almost single-handed and to redefine the face of Indian cricket: roll over batsmen, the pace attack is winning matches," the Indian Express added.

Large pictures of Nehra, who had never taken more than three wickets in a one-day match before Wednesday, were splashed on all the leading dailies.

"Rarely has one seen an Indian opening attack, spearheaded by Ashish Nehra's chilling, searing spell, bowl with the kind of venom, speed, movement and accuracy as they did under floodlights at Kingsmead," said the Hindustan Times.

In an article headlined "Nehra lives a dream, England a nightmare", the paper added: "The way England played and missed, they might has well have been facing the wrath of a (Dennis) Lillee or a (Jeff) Thomson."

India now have 16 points from five matches, with an encounter against traditional rivals Pakistan on Saturday.

England, with 12 points, will have to beat world champions Australia in their last group match on Sunday to stay in the hunt for a berth in the next stage.

Robin Uthappa

2010-02-27T02:52:00.002-08:00

Robin Uthappa
India
Player profile
Full name Robin Venu Uthappa
Born November 11, 1985, Coorg, Karnataka
Current age 21 years 313 days
Major teams India, India Under-19s, Karnataka, Reebok XI
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Fielding position Wicketkeeper

Aiyudda Robin Uthappa born 11 November 1985 in Kodagu, Karnataka) is an Indian cricketer. A son of an international hockey referee, he made his one-day international debut in the seventh and final match of the English tour of India in April 2006. He had a successful debut, making 86 as an opening batsman before being run out. It was the highest score for any Indian debutant in a limited overs match.

Uthappa first came to the public's attention when he made 66 for India B against India A in the Challenger Trophy in 2005. The following year, in the same tournament, Uthappa made matchwinning 93-ball 100 against the same team which propelled him in the big league. Previously, he had been a member of the India under-19 team that won the Asia Cup. Once a wicketkeeper-batsman, his List A batting average of near 40 with a strike rate of approximately 90 has made him regarded as something of a limited overs cricket specialist.

He was recalled to the ODI side in January 2007 for the series against the West Indies where he smashed a 70 from just 41 balls.

He has been recently selected in the 15 member squad of the Indian Cricket team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 to be held in West Indies in this March-April.

Tall and robust Robin Uthappa, the son of Venu, an international hockey referee, scored heavily in the Ranji Trophy till he could not be kept out of the Indian one-day team any longer. Although his initial record in domestic cricket - a first-class average of 32 from 20 matches with just one hundred - was modest he plundered 854 runs in 7 Ranji matches in 2006-07 to top the batting charts. At one time a wicketkeeper-batsman, Uthappa has since given up the big gloves to concentrate on batting, and now occasionally bowls mediumpace.

Uthappa first came to the public's attention when he made 66 for India B against India A in the Challenger Trophy in 2005. The following year, in the same tournament, Uthappa made matchwinning 93-ball 100 against the same team which propelled him in the big league. Previously, he had been a member of the India under-19 team that won the Asia Cup. Once a wicketkeeper-batsman, his List A batting average of near 40 with a strike rate of approximately 90 has made him regarded as something of a limited overs cricket specialist.

As a batsman he has always been attractive to watch, hard-hitting, with every shot in the book, unafraid to hit the ball in the air. A useful member of the India under-19 team that won the Asia Cup, Uthappa first caught the eye when he made a brilliant 66 in a losing cause for India B against India A in the Challenger Trophy in Mumbai in 2005 against an attack that included Zaheer Khan, Murali Kartik and RP Singh. But it was in the subsequent edition of the same tournament, in Mohali in 2006, where he cracked a matchwinning 93-ball 100 for India B against an India A team that had seen a ton from VVS Laxman, that Uthappa really arrived in the big league. It won him a place instead of Virender Sehwag in the final one-dayer against England early in 2006, and he capitalised with a well-paced 86 at Indore. His next two outings were less spectacular, but time is on his side. After a spell out of the team Uthappa got a chance in the sixth ODI against England at The Oval. A nerveless unbeaten 47 off only 33 balls helped India seal a rousing win, and, for the moment, his place in the Indian team.

Sep 19, 2007
Batting and fielding averages
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
ODIs 14 13 1 409 86 34.08 396 103.28 0 4 59 7 8 0
Twenty20 Int. 4 3 0 56 50 18.66 45 124.44 0 1 5 2 0 0
First-class 35 60 2 2410 162 41.55 6 14 33 0
List A 48 46 3 1655 160 38.48 1801 91.89 3 12 21 0
Twenty20 13 12 0 247 50 20.58 189 130.68 0 1 2 0

Bowling averages
Mat Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4 5 10
ODIs 14 0 0 0 - - - - - 0 0 0
Twenty20 Int. 4 0 0 0 - - - - - 0 0 0
First-class 35 150 74 2 1/7 37.00 2.96 75.00 0 0 0
List A 48 0 0 0 - - - - - 0 0 0
Twenty20 13 0 0 0 - - - - - 0 0 0

Ramesh Powar

2010-02-27T02:52:00.001-08:00

Ramesh Powar Statistics
Full Name: Ramesh Rajaram Powar
Born: 20 May 1978, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major Teams: Mumbai.

Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
A stocky offspinner who is more than handy with the bat, Ramesh Powar had a huge role to play in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy success in the 2002-03 season. His 20 wickets with his flighted stuff was useful enough, but even more crucial was the runs he contributed. He never batted higher than No. 7 – sometimes going in as low as No. 10 – but ended up as the second-highest scorer for Mumbai in the tournament, with 418 runs at more than 46. More importantly, a bulk of those runs came with his team in strife. Powar started off as a carefree striker, but has learnt the benefits of grinding a big score. His performances for Mumbai in 2002-03 were enough to warrant a place among the 36 probables for the following season. However, Powar needs to bring in more variations to his bowling, and develop more consistency in his batting, to progress to a higher grade.

Mohammad Kaif

2010-02-27T02:46:00.000-08:00

Mohammad Kaif Statistics
Born: 1 December 1980, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
Major Teams: Uttar Pradesh, Leicestershire, India.
Known As: Mohammad Kaif
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break

Profile:
Immensely gifted, Mohammad Kaif's inclusion in the Indian team against South Africa was widely welcomed. During the last couple of years he has impressed not only with his stylish strokeplay and steely temperament which has seen him perform well under pressure, but also with his agile fielding. As skipper of the victorious Indian under-19 side in the World Cup in Sri Lanka in January 2000, Kaif also proved himself to be a skillful captain. He came up through the ranks representing the under-19 team against Sri Lanka in 1999 (earning handsome praise from the coach, K Srikkanth) and then playing with much success for the India A team on the tour of West Indies early in 2000.

But it was his showing in the under-19 World Cup that brought him into national reckoning. This was followed by two superb knocks of 90 and 93 in the Challenger Trophy Series - performances that saw him edge that much closer to the India cap. He did not exactly fail in his only Test against a rampaging South African side. A stint at the National Cricket Academy and a training trip to Australia played a major role in furthering the cricketing education of Kaif. A series of high scores in the domestic circuit followed and this saw him drafted into the Indian one-day side where his useful batting and athletic fielding have made him an indispensable member.(

Test Debut: India v South Africa at Bangalore, 2nd Test, 1999/00
Latest Test: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC), 3rd Test, 2001

ODI Debut: India v England at Kanpur, 4th ODI, 2001/02
Latest ODI: India v Australia at Johannesburg, World Cup, 2002/03

First-class debut for Uttar Pradesh, Ranji Trophy, 1997-98.

Represented India in the MTN Under 19 World Cup, South Africa, 1998.

Ashish Nehra

2010-02-27T02:45:00.001-08:00

Ashish Nehra
India

Full Name: Ashish Nehra
Date of Birth: Apr 29, 1979, Delhi
Major Team: India, Asia XI, Delhi, Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians
Playing Roll: Bowler
Batting Style: Right
Bowling Style: Left-arm medium-fast
Career Statistics
International Debut: 1999
Test Debut: Sri Lanka v India, 24-28, Feb 1999
ODI Debut: Zimbabwe v India, Jan 24, 2001
Twenty20 Debut: India v Sri Lanka, Dec 09, 2009

Batting and fielding records
M Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Test 17 25 11 77 19 5.50 256 30.08 - - 8 3 5 -
ODI 100 35 19 108 24 6.75 164 65.85 - - 9 2 12 -
T20I 2 1 0 22 22 22.00 13 169.23 - - 1 2 1 -

Bowling records
M Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Eco SR 4W 5W 10W
Test 17 29 3447 1886 44 4/72 6/117 42.86 3.28 78.34 2 - -
ODI 100 97 4673 3951 128 6/23 6/23 30.87 5.07 36.51 3 2 -
T20I 2 2 42 96 1 1/52 1/52 96.00 13.71 42.00 - - -