Sachin Tendulkar wishes Venkatesh Prasad on birthday with throwback picture

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has come forward and wished his former India teammate Venkatesh Prasad a very happy birthday as he turned 53 on Friday, August 5. Prasad was one of India’s medium-pacers back in the 90s and was known for his bowling combination with Javagal Srinath.

As the former India pacer turned a year older, Sachin decided to make the occasion even more special by posting a throwback picture from their playing days in which the duo can be seen enjoying a game of billiards. While it is not clear when this photograph was exactly clicked, Tendulkar urged Prasad to answer that question.

Taking to his official Twitter handle the Master Blaster wrote, “Many happy returns of the day @venkateshprasad Have a happy and healthy year ahead. Do you remember where this photo was taken Venky?”

Many happy returns of the day @venkateshprasad. Have a happy and healthy year ahead.

Do you remember where this photo was taken Venky? pic.twitter.com/QWZT7hc2cs

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 5, 2022

Venkatesh Prasad’s cricketing career

Speaking of Venkatesh Prasad’s cricketing career, he went on to represent India in 33 Tests and 161 One Day Internationals between 1994 and 2001 where he went on to register 96 and 196 scalps respectively. He struggled with injuries towards the end of his career which made his comeback impossible and in May 2005, Prasad decided to bid adieu to all forms of cricket.

After retiring from cricket, the Karnataka cricketer tried his luck in coaching. He was the coach of the India U19 team that finished as the runners-up in the 2006 edition, going down to Pakistan in a low-scoring final and served as the bowling coach of the Indian senior team in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa that the Men in Blue went on to win.

Venkatesh Prasad was India’s hero in the 1996 and 1999 editions of the World Cup. He was even adjudged the Player of the Match for his match-winning figures of 5/27 against Pakistan in the 1999 event. Meanwhile, one incident involving Venkatesh remains etched in the memory of all the die-hard cricket fans in India and Pakistan.

The moment featured him and Pakistan’s stand-in captain Aamir Sohail that took place during their 1996 World Cup quarterfinal fixture in Bangalore. After being hit on the off-side boundary for a four, Sohail had made some gestures with his index finger and the bat at the bowler probably stating ‘go fetch the ball’ and he will be hit over there once again.

On the very next delivery, the batter attempted an aggressive pull shot, but he failed to connect it with the ball as the off-stump went for a walk. A charged-up Prasad then gave him a fiery send-off and had the last laugh in this battle which lasted two deliveries. India beat Pakistan by 39 runs and advanced to the semifinals.