Ramesh Powar’s best ODI outing
Bowling with his shades on, Ramesh Powar was part of the Indian team between 2004 and 2007, but could not sustain his success at the international level.
Powar featured for India in two Tests and 31 One-Day Internationals while also playing 148 first-class matches and 28 T20s. Powar played his last first-class match for Mumbai against Gujarat at Mumbai in December 2015, and was then looking for a career in cricket.
With his playing days over, Powar went to Australia and did his Level III course in coaching. It was on the back of the course and his credentials as an international cricketer which landed him the job of the coach of the Indian women’s team despite no prior coaching experience.
As a player though, Powar’s best outing at the international level came in a match against England.
In a left-field call by captain Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni came out to open the batting alongside the hard-hitting right-hander. Although Sehwag could manage just four runs and was dismissed in the first over itself, Dhoni scored 96 runs off 106 balls, in a knock which included 10 fours and 3 sixes.
However, no other batter could provide him support as India were left struggling at 186/6. Ramesh Powar then joined Dhoni in the middle.
The off-spinner wasn’t known for his batting skills with an ODI average of 11.64, but he could hold his own in domestic cricket with a first-class average of 26.53 and did the job with a 54-run knock which imparted India’s score some respectability.
Powar remained at the crease for 83 balls and pinched singles and doubles in a knock which came at a strike rate of 65. India were finally bowled out for 223 from 48 overs but not before providing their bowlers something to fight.
England openers Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell though were not giving Indian an inch. They put together a 107-run opening stand, with Strauss retiring hurt on 74. With useful contributions from Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood in the middle order, England overhauled the target with more than 7 overs to spare.
Ramesh Powar followed up his good batting performance with the ball for India as well and shared five wickets with Harbhajan Singh, maintaining an economy of 5.24.
Powar played two Tests and 31 one-day internationals between 2004 and 2007 and has a total of 40 international wickets. He also played over 15 years of first-class cricket, from which he has 470 wickets at an average of 31.31.