Top 3 performances of Venkatesh Prasad in cricket

Former Indian pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad celebrated his 56th birthday On August 5. Prasad had a stellar career as an international cricket player, playing for India in 161 One-Day Internationals and 33 Test matches.

Prasad amassed an outstanding 292 wickets throughout his time playing for his country, with 96 in Tests and 196 in ODIs. He formed a formidable pace bowling partnership with Javagal Srinath and continued to be one of the best pacers in the world in the 1990s.

Here are the top 3 performances of Venkatesh Prasad in cricket:

3. 10/153 vs South Africa, Durban Test, 1996

In the 1996 Durban Test against South Africa, Venkatesh Prasad took 10 wickets for 153 runs, one of his best Test efforts to date. India captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and chose to field first. South Africa responded with 235 runs, with Andrew Hudson making 80 runs. For India, Venkatesh Prasad took 5/60, with his wickets including Gary Kirsten, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje, David Richardson, and Allan Donald.

India had responded with 100 runs in the first innings, and South Africa built upon the 135-run lead. The hosts posted 259 runs with fifties by Hudson, Adam Bacher, and Brian McMillan. Prasad took 5/93 in the second inninfs, with his scalps being Kirsten, Cullinan, Cronje, Shaun Pollock, and Allan Donald. However, Prasad’s 10 wickets failed to help India, as they lost the Test by 328 runs, making only 66 runs in response to the 395-run target.

2. 6/33 vs Pakistan, Chennai Test, 1999

It was the first test of the two-match series against Pakistan in Chennai. Pakistan had posted 238 runs with Anil Kumble taking six wickets, while Mohammad Yousuf and Moin Khan made fifties.

In response, India made 254, with fifties from Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly. In their second innings, Pakistan made 286, with Shahid Afridi making 141. Prasad took 6/33 as India was set 271 to win. This was Prasad’s best ever bowling figures in Test matches. However, India lost the match by 12 runs despite Sachin Tendulkar’s 136 and Prasad’s lion-hearted effort with the ball.

1. 5/27 vs Pakistan, ICC World Cup 1999

Venkatesh Prasad always brought his best when India faced Pakistan in ODIs. He had taken three wickets in India’s win over Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup, and when the two sides clashed in Manchester in the 1999 World Cup, Prasad shone again.

Thanks to Rahul Dravid and Mohammed Azharuddin’s fifties, India posted 227/6 in 50 overs. The target was a small one, but Pakistan didn’t get going, thanks to Venkatesh Prasad, who took his ODI career best of 5/27. He picked the wickets of Saeed Anwar (36), Saleem Malik, Inzamam Ul Haq (41), Moin Khan (34), and Wasim Akram to help India win by 47 runs.