Name Hindi: वेंकटेश प्रसाद / Gender Man
Venkatesh Prasad: A Venerable Figure in the World of Cricket
Venkatesh Prasad is an iconic name in Indian cricket, primarily known for his right-arm medium-fast bowling. After a rewarding career on the field and as coach of various teams, he has proven to be one of the most influential figures in the world of cricket.
Early Life and Career
Born on August 5th, 1969, Bangalore, India, Venkatesh Prasad started playing cricket at a young age. His passion towards cricket made him pursue it professionally. In December 1996, he made his Test debut against England at Lord’s gaining appreciation for his proficient skills with the bat and ball.
Career Highlights
- In his international career spanning from 1994-2001, Prasad played 33 test matches fetching up over 96 wickets.
- He achieved more than a hundred wickets tallying up to 196 in One Day Internationals (ODI) out of the total 161 matches that were played.
- After retirement from International cricket, he preferred coaching roles and became an essential part of set-ups like Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Under-19 World Cup-winning squad among others.
Prasad retired from professional cricket in May 2005 but continued contributing back to this sport.
Pivotal Role as a Coach
In recognition of his deep knowledge and experience in cricket, Venkatesh was appointed as the bowling coach for the Indian cricket team in July 2007 replacing Kevin Shine.Notably underlining how spinners can remain crucial even in shorter formats of games.
- During his tenure as bowling coach, India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008, defeating Australia by a clear margin.
- In IPL, Prasad played a significant role as a head coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has been instrumental in grooming young fast bowlers and promoting emerging talents.
- Not only limited to coaching, but he also took the administrative route when he was unanimously selected as chairman of Karnataka State Cricket Association’s selection committee in September 2017.
Presentation of Awards
Venkatesh Prasad’s commitment and diligence earned him various accolades over the years:
- In recognition of his talent on the field, he was awarded the title of Wisden Cricketer of The Year in 1999.
- The International Sporting Club presented him with an award in appreciation for his long-standing performance in cricket at both national and international levels.
The legacy Venkatesh Prasad has left behind is absolutely noteworthy. From being an acclaimed cricketer to becoming one of the most respected coaches in Indian cricket history, Venkatesh Prasad is genuinely a venerable figure in cricket worldwide.
