Manoj Prabhakar

A fiercely competitive cricketer, Manoj Prabhakar's approach was very much in keeping with the times. Asking no quarter and expecting none, Prabhakar's combative attitude made him an opponent to be feared and respected. Whether batting or bowling, he epitomized aggressiveness. He was also one with a never say die attitude and this was seen in his batting which was a mixture of well timed strokes and a sound defence. He was generally more at home in the middle order but served the country well in many matches as a resolute and dependable opening batsman. As Kapil Dev's most durable and effective opening partner, he frequently gave the initial breakthrough. But he is best remembered as a stock bowler who could bowl long spells without losing either accuracy or hostility.

Prabhakar was one of the few cricketers who had an equally good record in both Test cricket and the limited overs game. As a bowler, he made up for his lack of genuine pace by some enormous in swing. He was a member of the Indian team in three successive World Cup competitions and it just one bad match against Sri Lanka in the 1996 tournament which cost him his place for good. Always a fighter, Prabhakar carried the combativeness off the field too. He made some scatching comments about being dropped and then in retirement, he charged that Indian players were guilty of match fixing and betting. He continued to stay in the news by entering politics and standing unsuccessfully for Parliament.