Name Hindi: ई. ए. एस. प्रसन्ना / Gender Man
Erapalli Anantharao Srinivas Prasanna – A Cricket Legend
Born on May 22, 1940, Erapalli Anantharao Srinivas Prasanna, widely known as E. A. S. Prasanna, is a former Indian cricketer. He was best known for his exceptional off spin bowling technique and is considered one of the all-time greats in this field.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in Bangalore, India, Prasanna expressed interest in cricket at a young age. It was not until his tenure at National College, Bangalore that he began to focus intensely on the sport – specifically on being an off-spinner.
In December 1961, Prasanna made his Test debut against England. However, due to academic commitments as he was pursuing engineering back then, his career had a four-year long hiatus before it resumed fully.
Career Highlights
- First Class Debut: Prasanna started playing first-class cricket in 1962-63 season at Mysore (now Karnataka).
- Test Cricket Debut: His debut in test cricket came about unexpectedly when V.V.Kumar could not play versus England owing to illness.
- International Greatness: Establishing himself on the international scene wasn’t instant either but by competing with B.S.Chandrasekhar and Bishan Singh Bedi for spots enlightened others on his brilliance too. This began especially after returning from hiatus caused by studies- now unabatedly committing into cricket meant there were astounding figures like getting 49 wickets @17.67 in the 1967-68 home series versus Australia.
- Testimonial: Much loved for his work, Fred Titmus- an English professional cricketer quoted “Pras on an uncovered wicket was unplayable.”
- Career Statistics: Prasanna played a total of 49 Test matches picking up 189 wickets at an impressive average of 30.38 over his career span from 1962 to 1978. He also held the record for being the fastest Indian bowler (in terms of matches) to take a hundred wickets in Test cricket which took him only 20 Tests.
Post-Retirement Achievements and Honours
In recognition of Prasanna’s contributions to Indian cricket, he was awarded the Padma Shri by India’s Government in 1970 – one of the country’s highest civil honours. Following retirement, E.A.S.Prasanna remains involved with domestic cricket within Karnataka province where he has coached budding talent nurturing them into becoming formidable players at their own rights.
Affectionately known as ‘Pras’, this sporting stalwart continues to be respected and admired across different generations for his incredible contribution not just towards cricket in India but globally too; indeed elevating off-spin bowling stature single-handedly.
The Legacy of E. A. S Prasanna
E.A.S Prasanna’s skillful off spin bowling technique and extraordinary leadership left a lasting impact on the world of Cricket. Worldwide, many rising cricketers aspire to emulate his prowess and poise offered during game-play without undermining unfathomable pressure it entails. He is thus remembered both as a brilliant player and inspiring figure who exemplified dedication & determination required to excel in this challenging yet captivating sport known as cricket.
