Venkatapathy Raju

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Indian
country = India
country abbrev = IND
name = Venkatapathy Raju
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = Slow left-arm orthodox
balls = true
tests = 28
test runs = 240
test bat avg = 10.00
test 100s/50s = -/-
test top score = 31
test overs = 7602
test wickets = 93
test bowl avg = 30.72
test 5s = 5
test 10s = 1
test best bowling = 6/12
test catches/stumpings = 6/-
ODIs = 53
ODI runs = 32
ODI bat avg = 4.00
ODI 100s/50s = -/-
ODI top score = 8
ODI overs = 2770
ODI wickets = 63
ODI bowl avg = 31.96
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = 4/46
ODI catches/stumpings = 8/-
date = 4 February
year = 2006
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/33044.html

Sagi Lakshmi Venkatapathy Raju audio|Venkatpathy_Raju.ogg|pronunciation (Born July 9, 1969 in Alamuru) is an Indian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a left-arm spin bowler. He was nicknamed 'Mr. Muscles" because of thin frame during his playing days. He was well known for his variations in flight and for his arm ball. Raju was a successor to Maninder Singh in the finger-spinning style. Raju was a member of the Indian spin trio of Kumble-Raju-Chauhan, in the 1990s.

Raju came into the Indian side in 1989-90 after capturing 32 wickets in the domestic season. He made his Test and One Day International debut in the tour of New Zealand. When sent in as a night-watchman in his first Test innings, he batted for more than two hours for 31 runs while six wickets fell at the other end. He was part of the Indian team in England in 1990, but the knuckle of his left hand was broken by Courtney Walsh in the match against Gloucestershire which ended his tour.

Back home in India, he helped India win the one-off Test against Sri Lanka in the only Test match played at the Sector 16 Stadium in Chandigarh. Raju was a last minute selection on a wicket that afforded turn and kept low. On the second day, he ran through the Lankan middle order with a spell for 5 wickets for two runs in 39 balls. He took one more wicket on the next day to finish with 6 for 12 in 17.5 overs, four of the batsmen failed to score. His match figures of 8 for 37 in 53 overs won him the only man of the match award of his international career. [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153175.html Wisden reports of Sri Lanka's tour of India, 1990-91] ]

He last played a test match against Australia in Chennai, where he captured the wicket of Mark Waugh. Anil Kumble, on the eve of his 100th Test remarked that Raju was the best Indian spinner among his contemporaries.Fact|date=February 2007

He continued playing for Hyderabad for many years, making the final of the 1999-2000 Ranji Trophy. He retired from first-class cricket in December 2004, after a domestic match against Uttar Pradesh.

Present Role

Raju is currently the selector for Indian Cricket Team from south zone.

The upcoming young Indian leg-spinner Pragyan Ojha in an interview told that Raju inspired him to play for India. [ [http://www.cricketnext.com/news/raju-inspired-me-to-play-for-india-ojha/32071-14.html Raju inspires Pragyan Ojha] ]

References

External links

* [http://cricketfundas.com/vrajuinterview.html Interview of Venkatapathy Raju in CricketFundas.com]
* [http://cricketfundas.com/vrajutribute.html Muscles of Might]