Balaji has played 8 Tests, 5 T20Is and 30 ODIs for India from 2002 to 2012. The pacer bagged 71 international wickets from 43 matches. He was the soul of Tamil Nadu's attack for a very long time.
Tamil Nadu's fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has brought curtains down on his First-Class career.
Ballaji, who has played 8 Tests and 30 ODIs for India, has ended his 16-year-old First-Class career with 330 wickets and 1,202 runs from 106 matches.
However, he will continue to participate in the T20 tournaments like TNPL and IPL.
The 34-year-old pacer has idolised former Indian Test skipper and current head coach Anil Kumble. Balaji's career has always been injury-prone and during the low times, he fought hard and derived inspiration from his idol.
" I would ask myself how Kumble would deal with it. Then I would get my answer,” Balaji told The Hindu.
Due to career-threatening injuries, Balaji's Test career ended within two years of his debut. Balaji made his Test debut during the New Zealand tour of India in 2003, and his last Test series happened to be the home series against arch-rivals, Pakistan, in 2005.
Although his numbers don't make him a big figure in Tests, there was no cricketer more popular than him during India's historic tour of Pakistan in 2004. He was adored not only for his consistency - which led India to a superb victory - but also known for his appealing smile.
[Oh yes, Balaji was India's George Bailey! (smiling assassin) ]
India won the three-Test series, 2-1 with Kumble being the highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps and his student, Balaji behind him with 12 wickets.
In the decider Test at Rawalpindi, Balaji bagged seven wickets which included the famous dismissal of then Pakistani skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq. " “It was a late outswinger, Inzamam nicked it, and I would never forget that moment. We won the Test and the series, for the first time in Pakistan," he said.
Meanwhile, for a very long time he has been the significant player in the Tamil Nadu attack for the Ranji Trophy. He even helped his side reach the semi-final in the 2008 edition.
“It is hard for pacemen in Indian conditions. You got to be attacking, swing and reverse swing, bowl yorkers and use the short ball cleverly,” Balaji added.
