Promising pacer Praveen Kumar, who shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, on Sunday became the 170th Indian to play One-Day Internationals.
JAIPUR: Promising pacer Praveen Kumar, who shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, on Sunday became the 170th Indian to play One-Day Internationals when he made his debut against Pakistan in the fifth and final match here.
Having impressed the selectors with his fine performance in the recent Challenger Trophy tournament in Ahmedabad, the Uttar Pradesh bowler made his way into the national side. He started his international career with a maiden over at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium.
Praveen got the chance to play after India took a winning 3-1 lead in the fourth match in Gwalior Thursday.
The Meerut-born 21-year-old pacer made a sensational first-class debut against Haryana in Kanpur in November 2005 with a five-wicket burst. He finished the match with nine for 148, besides scoring 43 in the first innings.
Praveen played a key role in Uttar Pradesh winning their first ever Ranji Trophy title last year. He took 41 wickets in the season. He captured 90 wickets in his first two domestic seasons and was picked in the India 'A' side for a triangular series in Kenya this year. He won the Man of the Series award.
Praveen, who has represented India under-19, is also a decent batsman and even opened the innings for India Red in the Challenger Trophy. Besides bagging 90 wickets in 19 first-class matches at a fine average of 23.70 in his first two seasons, the right-handed batsman has also scored 732 runs.
On the basis of his Challenger Trophy performance Praveen earned a call to the Indian team for the five-match ODI series against Pakistan. But he almost jeopardised his chances when he fell from an open jeep as his fans were celebrating his selection, but he managed to avoid an injury.
Praveen joins another Uttar Pradesh left-arm pacer in the national team -- Rudra Pratap Singh
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}