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Lakshmipathy Balaji
Indian cricketer

Lakshmipathy Balaji (born 27 September 1981) is an Indian cricket coach and former international cricketer, known for his right-arm fast medium bowling. He represented the Indian cricket team, making his ODI debut in 2002 against the West Indies and his Test debut in 2003 versus New Zealand. Domestically, he played for Tamil Nadu and South Zone. In the Indian Premier League, Balaji won titles with the Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. After retiring in 2016, he coached these teams, enhancing their bowling units until 2022.

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Early and personal life

Lakshmipathy Balaji was born on 27 September 1981 in Madras, Tamil Nadu.1 He married Priya Thalur in 2013.2

International career

After making his debut for Tamil Nadu during the 2001–02 Ranji Trophy, Balaji was selected for the Indian national cricket team in 2002.3 In November 2002, he made his ODI debut against West Indies in the fifth match of the series at Vadodara. He went wicket less in four overs as India lost the match by five wickets.4 He did not play another international match before his test debut against New Zealand in October 2003 at Ahmedabad. He took his first and only wicket in the match, which ended in a draw.5 In the next match of the series, he went wicket-less.6 In January 2004, he was part of the Indian team that played a tri-series with Australia and Zimbabwe in Australia. He played all the 10 matches and finished as the fourth highest wicket taker in the series with 13 wickets.7

Following his performance in Australia, he was selected for the Indian team that toured Pakistan in March–April 2004. He played in all the three test matches and finished as the second highest wicket taker with 12 wickets, leading India to a series victory.8 In the subsequent ODI series, which was also won by India, Balaji took six wickets in five matches.9 He was part of the Indian team that finished as runners-up in the 2004 Asia Cup but took just three wickets from four matches.10 Balaji played two ODIs in the 2004 Videocon Cup tri-series with Australia and Pakistan, taking six wickets to finish as the leading wicket taker.11 He played two matches during the Indian team, taking two wickets.12 During the subsequent visit of Pakistan in March 2005, Balaji played all the three test matches, the final match of which was the last of his career.13 He took nine wickets in the first match of the series including his career best of 5/76 in the first innings.14 He finished as the third highest wicket taker of the series which ended in a draw.15 In the subsequent ODI series, he took just three wickets in four matches, which resulted in an Indian defeat.1617

In 2005, Balaji suffered a stress fracture, which got exaggerated as he continued to play with injury. Subsequent injuries ruled him out of playing cricket for more than a year.18 Balaji made his return to cricket in 2007 and after a strong 2008-09 domestic season where helped Tamil Nadu reach the Ranji Trophy semifinals, he was called up to the Indian ODI squad in January 2009.19 Balaji played the final match of the series against Sri Lanka, which turned out to be final ODI match of his international career.20 In February, BCCI announced that Balaji had been dropped from the ODI squad for the New Zealand tour but had been selected for the test squad.21 But he did not play any matches in the series.22

Balaji made his T20I debut against New Zealand at his home ground in Chennai on 11 September 2012.23 Subsequently, he was selected in the Indian squad for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20.24 He played four matches in the tournament including his last international match against South Africa. He took nine wickets to finish as the fourth highest wicket taker despite playing only four matches as India crashed out of the tournament in the group stage.25

Indian Premier League

On 29 March 2008, Balaji was signed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to play in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League.26 On 10 May 2008, he picked up the tournament's first hat-trick in the match against Kings XI Punjab in Chennai, finishing with a match-winning five-wicket haul and earning his first Man of the Match award.2728 He played 29 matches across three seasons for CSK, taking 31 wickets.29 He was part of the squad that won the 2010 Indian Premier League and Champions League Twenty20.3031 Ahead of the 2011 season, he was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL auction.32 He took 33 wickets in 35 matches across three seasons.33 He won the 2012 Indian Premier League title with Knight Riders, defeating his former team Super Kings in the finals.34 In his final season of the IPL, he played for Kings XI Punjab, taking 12 wickets in nine matches.35

Coaching career

After his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2016, he was appointed as bowling coach and mentor by Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2017 Indian Premier League season.3637 For the 2018 season, he was appointed as the bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings.38 He resigned from the post in 2022, citing personal reasons, but continued to work for the Super Kings Academy.39

References

  1. "Lakshmipathy Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lakshmipathy-balaji-26829 ↩

  2. "Cricketer Balaji marries model Priya Thalur". The Times of India. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/mumbai/Cricketer-Balaji-marries-model-Priya-Thalur/articleshow/22684050.cms ↩

  3. "Lakshmipathy Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/lakshmipathy-balaji-26829 ↩

  4. "India vs West Indies, 5th ODI at Vadodara, Nov 18 2002 - Full Scorecard". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/west-indies-tour-of-india-2002-03-61947/india-vs-west-indies-5th-odi-64789/full-scorecard ↩

  5. "India vs New Zealand, 1st Test at Ahmedabad, Oct 08 2003 - Full Scorecard". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/new-zealand-tour-of-india-2003-04-62130/india-vs-new-zealand-1st-test-64046/full-scorecard ↩

  6. "Test match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  7. "Most wickets, VB series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-most-wickets-career/vb-series-2003-04-882 ↩

  8. "India tour of Pakistan 2003-04". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-pakistan-2003-04-62332 ↩

  9. "ODI match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=2;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  10. "ODI match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=2;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  11. "Videocon cup, 2004". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/videocon-cup-2004-61154 ↩

  12. "ODI match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=2;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  13. "Test match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  14. "1st Test, Mohali, March 08 - 12, 2005, Pakistan tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05-61525/india-vs-pakistan-1st-test-64125/full-scorecard ↩

  15. "Pakistan tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05-61525 ↩

  16. "ODI match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=2;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  17. "Pakistan tour of India". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-india-2004-05-61525 ↩

  18. "Stress fracture the darkest hour in my life, confesses Lakshmipathy Balaji". Sports Cafe. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://sportscafe.in/cricket/articles/2020/jan/19/stress-fracture-the-darkest-hour-in-my-life-confesses-lakshmipathy-balaji ↩

  19. "Balaji replaces injured Munaf for SL tour". ESPNcricinfo. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/balaji-replaces-injured-munaf-for-sl-tour-388707 ↩

  20. "ODI match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=2;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  21. "Dhawal Kulkarni receives maiden call-up". ESPNcricinfo. 13 February 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dhawal-kulkarni-receives-maiden-call-up-390602 ↩

  22. "Test match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  23. "T20I match statistics, Balaji". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/26829.html?class=3;template=results;type=allround;view=match ↩

  24. "India squad, ICC world T20 2012". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-twenty20-2012-13-531597/india-squad-576822/series-squads ↩

  25. "Cricket Records in ICC World Twenty20, 2012/13". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/bowling-most-wickets-career/icc-world-twenty20-2012-13-6856 ↩

  26. "Balaji joins Chennai Super Kings". ESPNcricinfo. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/balaji-joins-chennai-super-kings-343135 ↩

  27. "On this day in 2008, Lakshmipathy Balaji took first-ever IPL hat-trick & won his first man of the match award". ANI. 10 May 2023. https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/cricket/on-this-day-in-2008-lakshmipathy-balaji-took-first-ever-ipl-hat-trick20230510135841/ ↩

  28. "On this day in 2008: Lakshmipathy Balaji becomes first bowler to clinch IPL hat-trick". Firstpost. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/sports-news/on-this-day-in-2008-lakshmipathy-balaji-becomes-first-bowler-to-clinch-ipl-hat-trick-10656731.html ↩

  29. "Balaji, IPL profile". Indian Premier League. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.iplt20.com/teams/KKR/squad-details/87 ↩

  30. "Raina, Dhoni star in Chennai triumph". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2013. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2009-10-418064/mumbai-indians-vs-chennai-super-kings-final-419165/match-report ↩

  31. "Warriors v Chennai: Dominant Chennai seal title". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2012. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/champions-league-twenty20-2010-11-456281/warriors-vs-chennai-super-kings-final-465141/match-report ↩

  32. "IPL auction:Big gainers and losers". ESPNcricinfo. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2012. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ipl-2011-auction-the-big-gainers-and-losers-496202 ↩

  33. "Balaji, IPL profile". Indian Premier League. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.iplt20.com/teams/KKR/squad-details/87 ↩

  34. "Final (N), Chennai, May 27, 2012, Indian Premier League". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 April 2024. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/indian-premier-league-2012-520932/chennai-super-kings-vs-kolkata-knight-riders-final-548381/full-scorecard ↩

  35. "Balaji, IPL profile". Indian Premier League. Retrieved 1 December 2023. https://www.iplt20.com/teams/KKR/squad-details/87 ↩

  36. "L Balaji calls time on first-class, List A career". ESPNcricinfo. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2023. http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/1057328.html ↩

  37. "L Balaji appointed KKR bowling coach". Indian Premier League. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2020. https://www.iplt20.com/news/38749/l-balaji-appointed-kkr-bowling-coach#:~:text=Mumbai,%203rd%20January%202017:%20Kolkata,team%27s%20victorious%20campaign%20in%202012. ↩

  38. "CSK: IPL 2018: Chennai Super Kings ropes in Balaji as bowling coach". The Times of India. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2020. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/ipl/top-stories/ipl-2018-chennai-super-kings-ropes-in-balaji-as-bowling-coach/articleshow/62569776.cms ↩

  39. "Dwayne Bravo retires from IPL, appointed CSK bowling coach for 2023 edition". Sportstar. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022. https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/bravo-ipl-retirement-csk-chennai-super-kings-2023-bowling-coach/article66214051.ece ↩