WD Balaji Rao made his first class debut, not in the Ranji Trophy as most Indian youngsters do, but for India Youth against England A on the visitors' tour of India in the 1994/95 season. Rao was still a couple of months short of his 17th birthday and he produced a performance he still ranks amongst his best in first class cricket.

This was the second tour game for the England side in the run-up to the first 'Test'. The English team had six players who had played or went on to play Test cricket: skipper Alan Wells, Jason Gallian, Nick Knight, Mark Ramprakash, Dominic Cork and Ian Salisbury. The Indian Youth side for their part had three players who later represented the senior team, VVS Laxman, Sameer Dighe and Paras Mhambrey.

England won the toss at the Wankhede Stadium and elected to take first strike. They finished the opening day on 221/6 and were bowled out on the following morning for 283. In his maiden bowl at first class level, Balaji Rao scalped the wickets of middle order bat Wells and tailender Glen Chapple to claim figures of 2/49 from 20.4 overs. Only Obaid Kamal collected more wickets.

In reply, the Indian Youth team collapsed from 183/5 to be bowled out for 199, in the face of a lethal spell by leg spinner Ian Salisbury who grabbed six wickets. Having surrendered an 84 run first innings lead, the onus was on the India Youth attack to deliver in the second innings and keep their final target within manageable proportions.

The England openers raised 48 for the first wicket before Balaji Rao decided to offer some active resistance. He ripped through the top order, dismissing Gallian, Ramprakash, Wells and Hemp as England slumped to 132/6 by tea on the third day. Balaji Rao completed a five wicket haul by trapping wicket keeper Paul Nixon leg before in the final session, ending with figures of 5/56 in 18 overs. England had subsided to 204, leaving a fourth innings target of 289 for India Youth. It was beyond them however and they folded up for 192 on the fourth and final day to succumb by 96 runs.

Balaji Rao's performance must have impressed the Tamil Nadu team management to no end, for on the very next day after the match ended, he was swiftly inducted into the TN Ranji Trophy team that took the field against Kerala at the Government Victoria College Ground in Palakkad.