Venkatesh Prasad is KTK’s new bowling coach

One of the most successful medium pacers of Indian squad, Venkatesh Prasad, is signed as bowling coach for Kochi Tuskers Kerala. After his retirement from all forms of cricket, Prasad served as India’s under-19 coach and then as bowling coach for Indian Cricket team. Later on he served as bowling coach for Chennai Super Kings also.

Full name Bapu Krishnarao Venkatesh Prasad

Born August 5, 1969, Bangalore, Karnataka

Current age 41 years 239 days

Major teams India, Karnataka

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium-fast

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	33	58	7041	3360	96	6/33	10/153	35.00	2.86	73.3	1	7	1
ODIs	161	160	8129	6332	196	5/27	5/27	32.30	4.67	41.4	3	1	0
First-class	123		22222	10020	361	7/37		27.75	2.70	61.5		18	3
List A	236		11951	8768	295	6/18	6/18	29.72	4.40	40.5	7	2	0

Profile

As the new ball partner of statemate Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad was an important member of the Indian team from his debut in 1996 until he was passed over in 2001. Tall and proportionally built, Prasad’s great strength is that he could move the ball both ways. A deceptive slower ball also proved an useful weapon. Not surprisingly, Venky achieved better figures in more helpful conditions abroad than at home, where the slow, bald tracks did not encouraged his mode of attack. Yet, paradoxically enough, his most devastating spell came at Chennai where, in the first Test in January 1999, he brought Pakistan’s second innings to a swift end with figures of 6 for 33, which included a spell of 5 for 0. A calm, unruffled team man, Prasad’s effective seam bowling was also invaluable to the country in the shorter version of the game. Following retirement, he took to coaching, training the Under-19 side and later taking over as coach of his state side Karnataka. He was appointed India’s bowling coach for the tour of Bangladesh in May 2007. Prasad received praise from various members of the Indian squad and worked well with India’s promising new-ball pair, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma. In that role, he was involved in feats he did not taste during his playing career – Test series wins in England and New Zealand. However, two disappointing performances by the bowlers in the major ICC events of 2009 cost him his job. He also worked as bowling coach for the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings.