Player of the Month

December 1996 saw a number of notable efforts by pace bowlers in Test cricket around the world. Lance Klusener's stunning debut in Calcutta, Glenn McGrath's matchwinning labours in Sydney, and Curtly Ambrose's heroic comeback from near-ridicule in Melbourne are just three of the outstanding achievements in December.

However, our pick is a bowler whose best performance came on a losing side. Not just any losing side, as his batsmen let him down to the tune of 100 all out in the first innings and 66 all out in the second. But that wasn't his fault as he took 5 for 60 and 5 for 94. From the moment of his Test debut at Edgbaston just six months ago he has been the model of consistency for India, and has finished 1996 as the leading wicket taker in Test cricket for this calendar year (37 wickets in 8 Tests at 22.68). In one-day internationals he was the fifth leading wicket-taker of the year (45 wickets in 30 ODI's) and was as much a matchwinner in India's only one-dayer this month (the Mohinder Amarnath benefit in Mumbai) as centurion Tendulkar. With partner Srinath he looks like forming one of India's greatest new-ball pairings ever.

the googler's Player of the Month for December 1996 is Karnataka and India's Bapu Krishnarao Venkatesh Prasad.

Your say on Venkatesh Prasad!

I have read the comments by others and would echo all. Prasad and Srinath form the best new ball partnership that I can remeber India having.

I cannot believe however that India cannot produce a great third seamer Whatever happened to the likes Atul Wassan? who I remember looking raw but talented in the 1990 tour of England. Also I heard a lot about Abey Kuruvilla recently. What about him?

Congratulations to Venkatesh Prasad - it is great to see some good quick bowlers from the sub-continent. I would not fancy having to bowl quickly in the conditions bowlers face in India, so it is an excellent achievement. India now have a world-class opening attack.

I was also very impressed with the bowling of Mohammed Zahid in last night's ODI against the W. Indies in Brisbane - another player of teh future.

Congrats Venky! For the first time, in the history of modern day cricket India has spearhead which can threaten any batting!

Venky and Srinath are enough inspiration for Johnson and Ganesh to bowl well and India can now depend on their fast bowling to win matches.

Once the young Indian batsman gain enough expreience, India will be a force to reckon with!!! Go india!!! Go venkat!!!

I first saw Venkatesh Prasad in Sharjah in 1994 and he made no impression on me whatsoever. It seemed to me that he was in the Indian side because of his connections. Right upto the World Cup Match against Pakistan I had no respect whatsoever for Prasad's ability and it baffled me no end why the Indian selectors kept picking him. After India got its runs and Pakistan was off to a rollicking start with Saeed and Sohail both blasting Srinath and Prasad to the tune of 113 runs in 15 overs, the latter did something that endeared him to me in a manner I had never imagined possible. Prasad started the 16th over and the first ball he bowled was short of a length and Sohail slashed him the cover point boundary and arrogantly pointed in the same direction as if to tell him that he would hit him to the the same point on the boundary once again. Prasad calmly nodded and went back to his marker and ran in once again and let loose a well disguised slower one which Sohail. while attempting the same shot, played at too early, tried to check his stroke, and played on. That was brilliant. Prasad had outwitted and outfoxed the Pakistani captain. As a Pakistan Fan I was shocked and stunned and dazed but at that moment I knew I had seen the start of a great chapter in Indian cricket. Since then Prasad has gone from strength to strength and he has has rewarded the faith the Indian selectors put in him.

December's Player of the Month BKV Prasad is India's best bowler on any surface. This claim could not have been made with confidence until his 10 wicket yield at Durban, a supreme effort, notable also for being the first by an Indian in 10 years(overseas). Having come under fire from Geoffrey Boycott, who expressed surprise that international batsmen fell for him with such regularity, and from Lillee for various reasons, Prasad's rise has been meteoric and he has done more than most to deserve the India cap.

It has been a long year and that wicket of Aamir Sohail in the World Cup quarter-final, following a boundary and the inevitable heap of rubbish from the acting Pakistan captain, may not be fresh in every memory, but among a swag of subsequent wickets few have brought an Indian greater satisfaction. You could have knocked Sohail down with a feather after being bowled next ball by a slower one from Prasad. Asked in a recent interview about the exact nature of the mid-pitch discussion, Venkatesh said, "It was friendly talk. I just thought of getting him out."

It is questionable if the talks were matey, but there is little doubt that Prasad thinks steadily--a lot more than his partner Srinath--varying his pace on a batting track and making it difficult for shots to be played smoothly or mingling the trademark leg cutters with deliveries that come in with the arm. Kirsten's dismissal and then Richardson's in the first innings of the disastrous Durban Test were gems among the doom and gloom, wickets earned more through crafty planning than wayward aggression, bringing to mind some of Terry Alderman's dismissals.

He spends a lot of time with his Karnataka neighbors, Srinath and Johnson, and unlike most cricketers, the trio can often be overheard unraveling the mysteries of their profession, reverse swing being a recent focus. Johnson has been an underachiever, lacking confidence more than any other quality, and will do himself no harm to devote sufficient time learning from Prasad.

Like his compatriots, BKV is not the complaining sort. He shrugs philosophically at the Indian wickets, "Some things will never change. You just have to work harder. We did some good things recently (against South Africa)." It is an understatement. Few fast bowlers from his team have made as perceptible a dent in home conditions. His greatest contribution, apart from the consistent multiple wicket hauls, is the inspiration he is providing millions of young bowlers in India. For the first time since Kapil Dev an Indian pace bowler has notched up world class results, at home as well.

In the meantime, Prasad is concentrating on gaining the respect of the South Africans, no easy task in a country that produces fast bowlers by the cartload. He has drawn his share of criticism but if he keeps on performing this way, even Boycott will have to tender an apology. Now that is impossible.

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Date-stamped : 13 Apr1998 - 18:39