Name Hindi: वेंकटपति राजू / Gender Man
Venkatapathy Raju: A Brief Biography
Born on 9th of July in the year 1969, Venkatapathy Raju is a name that is admired and respected among cricket enthusiasts all around the globe. Originally hailing from Coastal Andhra Pradesh city of Rajahmundry in India, this left-arm spinner embarked upon his professional cricket career at an early age and quickly made strides towards becoming one of the most legendary cricketers.
Career highlights
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In terms of international test cricket, Venkatapathy made his first appearance against New Zealand in February 1990 and had successfully managed to take 93 wickets over 28 test matches throughout his career.
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One-day Internationals were another arena wherein he demonstrated his exceptional bowling skills. He played total 53 ODIs claiming every bit of fame and respect.
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On two occasions, Venkatapathy was also selected for world cup tournaments (in years 1992 and 1996) due to his outstanding performances.
In addition to international achievements, he has represented Hyderabad team in domestic cricket premier leagues winning numerous trophies.
Raju showcased excellent talent with the ball and confounded many reputed batsmen with his unpredictable spin deliveries. His Test bowling average rests at an impressive figure of 30.72 runs per game while his ODI Bowling Average showcases a commendable decrease down to an averaged score of just above 36.
A life beyond Cricket
Post retirement from sportive events, Venkatapathy started investing time into serving administrative roles associated with the game he loved so much. In fact, following his last professional game was played in 2004, he undertook the responsibilities as a cricket coach and nurtured budding talents for years to come. Later on, Raju also acted as a national selector for Indian Cricket Team.
His Legacy
Raju is known for his humility off the field and obstinate dedication on it. His sportsmanship ethics and unwavering commitment towards the game have served as an inspiration to many young cricketers around the globe. Even though he might not be physically present on professional platforms anymore, but Venkatapathy’s legacy continues through all those talented players who were fortunate enough to receive his guidance
In summary, Venkatapathy Raju has made impressive contributions to international cricket throughout his career both as a player and coaching mentor afterwards. His skills with the ball were simply remarkable which brought him recognition from all corners of the world.