The Most Memorable Cricketer From That Tour Was Bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji:
Due to the existing ties between the two nations, there is still no clarification about the India-Pakistan Test series. During the 2003-04 Test series, the arch-rivals had locked horns when India visited Pakistan for the first time after a long break.
Since the Kargil War and the Sourav Ganguly led team clinched both the ODI and the Test series, the Men in Blue have been visiting their cricketing rivals. Several match-winners have studded on the Indian side, who later went on to etch their reputation as Indian cricket stalwarts. Some outstanding results from players such as Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Irfan Pathan have seen on the trip.
However, the most unforgettable cricketer from that tour was right-arm pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji, according to former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra who was also a member of that tour.
Balaji appeared in all three Test matches and the five One Day Internationals and provided excellent results in the victory of India in Rawalpindi’s third Test. Balaji plucked seven wickets in the decider match for the series and played a crucial role in India’s success.
Balaji Had Also Hit Shoaib Akhtar And Mohammad Sami For Sixes During The ODI Series:
Nehra had, therefore, lauded him as a famous and unforgettable cricketer. Nehra also went on to claim that Balaji was more successful in the wake of that historic tour than former Pakistan captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Irfan will send you more stories in the dressing room; the only thing I know from that specific tour is Laxmipathy Balaji. He was even more famous than Imran Khan at the period, “Nehra said in Cricket Connected’s Star Sports series.
During the ODI series, Balaji also struck Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami for sixths, taking out his batting forte. Balaji appeared for the national side eight Tests, and 30 ODIs, picking up 27 and 34 wickets, respectively. He also played India in 5 T20Is, where he had ten wickets scalped in.
“He took sixes left right and middle. There was no question about it during those six weeks. Virender Sehwag triple hundred, Rahul Dravid double hundred, Irfan Pathan results, all but me off the field, Pakistan, the nation as a whole, and Laximathy Balaji in the dressing room, “Nehra said.
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