Erapalli Prasanna

India

Full name Erapalli Anantharao Srinivas Prasanna

Born May 22, 1940, Bangalore, Karnataka
Major teams India, Karnataka, Mysore
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Other Referee

Explore Erapalli Prasanna's performance

Batting and fielding averages
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 6s Ct St

Tests 49 84 20 735 37 11.48 0 0 0 18 0

First-class 235 275 67 2476 81 11.90 0 2 127 0

List A 9 5 3 33 22 16.50 0 0 3 0

Bowling averages
Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10

Tests 49 86 14353 5742 189 8/76 11/140 30.38 2.40 75.9 17 10 2

First-class 235 54823 22442 957 8/50 23.45 2.45 57.2 56 9

List A 9 586 318 17 3/29 3/29 18.70 3.25 34.4 0 0 0

Career statistics
Test debut India v England at Chennai, Jan 10-15, 1962 scorecard

Last Test Pakistan v India at Lahore, Oct 27-Nov 1, 1978 scorecard

First-class span 1961/62 - 1978/79

List A span 1973/74 - 1977/78
Profile

Pras was like a chess player in the guise of an offspinner: his victims had often been out-thought before the ball had been
delivered. A bowler who had complete mastery over flight, he was difficult to play even on good pitches. Many a bat was
lured to his doom, lunging out to hit the half-volley, only to find it pitching a foot shorter than expected. His arm ball was a
floater that drifted, and occasionally wobbled, in the air. After playing a few Tests in 1961-62, Pras decided to finish his
undergraduate studies, and was absent from the Test scene for five years. Returning in 1967, he promptly became
Pataudi's favourite weapon. In the early '70s, zonal and team politics often led to him being dropped in favour of
Venkataraghavan. He retired in 1978, after a tour to Pakistan which also led to the demise of Bedi and Chandrasekhar. He
twice led Karnataka to the Ranji Trophy, the first time ending Bombay's 15-year hegemony. Widely respected and feared in
domestic cricket as well, he enjoyed bowling to bats that were willing to try and hit him. A bowler with an attacking
mindset, he was also patient, and would bait a bat for over after over, trying to induce a mistake. Prasanna went on to join
the ICL in 2007 as a match referee, but took the amnesty offer from the BCCI by snapping ties with the unsanctioned
league in 2009.