Ramesh Powar

Ramesh Powar is an off spin bowler and lower order batsman affiliated with both, the Mumbai Ranji team as well as the Indian national team. He is known for his stocky built, great spirit and his brave heart while playing the game.

Powar was selected to the Indian team on the back of solid performances in the domestic circuit for his Ranji side, Mumbai. In the 2002/03 season, he was instrumental in Mumbai’s success with his flighted off spinners. But what was even more commendable was his contribution with the bat. He went on to score 418 runs in the season at an average of 46, emerging as the second highest scorer in the team. On all the occasions when he came out to bat, he batted no earlier than number 7. Additionally, most of the situations he batted in were ones where the team was in trouble. His exploits in domestic cricket did not go unnoticed and it led to a call-up to the Indian team for the tour of Pakistan. Here as well, he plied his trade effectively and tossed up deliveries even on flat batting tracks. He seemed at ease while facing the likes of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif as well. After a stint out of the team, he returned in 2006. This time though, he came prepared with a new delivery – ‘the drifter’ which helped him to 63 domestic wickets in the 2005/06 domestic season. He was not very successful in Test matches and played only two matches, picking up six wickets in the process.

Powar was a nonchalant and entertaining character who would be seen on the cricket field with his trademark orange sunshades, chasing balls. He lost his place in the Indian side through injury and the emergence of younger bowlers like Pragyan Ojha and Piyush Chawla did not help his cause. He played his last ODI for India in an 84-run loss against Australia in 2007. However, he continued to play domestic cricket for India, and also represented the newly formed IPL team, the now defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the 2011 IPL, after having played for the Kings XI Punjab in the earlier editions. Powar was once again picked by his former franchise for the fifth edition of the IPL in 2012.