Praveen Kumar      

Full name Praveenkumar Sakat Singh

Born October 2, 1986, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

Current age 23 years 54 days

Major teams India, Air India, India Red, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Uttar Pradesh

Playing role Bowler

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium

Praveen Kumar had everything to become a domestic cricket legend: limited pace but ability to swing the ball both ways, persistence to bowl long spells, and an almost intuitive knowledge of how to take wickets on unresponsive Indian wickets. But he took his limited pace and remarkably smart application of that ability to a higher level, claiming 10 wickets in four matches in his debut ODI series, including a match-winning spell against Australia in the final of the 2007-08 CB Series.

For two seasons before his ODI debut he had been Uttar Pradesh's go-to man in Ranji Trophy. In his first first-class season, also UP's championship season, he was easily the player of the year: 41 wickets and 386 runs, four five-fors, one 10-for, and three half-centuries. Whenever UP were in trouble, they could turn to Praveen, and sure enough something would happen. His consistency - 90 wickets in his first two first-class seasons - got him into reckoning for the national side. And although he has not made himself a fixture in the side, he has never been far from the selectors' radar. He is also one of the strike bowlers for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.
Cricinfo Staff January 2009

Nov 8, 2009

Praveen Kumar raises his bat after completing a maiden half-century

© AFP

Nov 8, 2009

Praveen Kumar goes on the offensive

© Associated Press

Nov 5, 2009

Graham Manou runs out Praveen Kumar

© Getty Images

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