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Abey Kuruvilla      

Full name Abey Kuruvilla

Born August 8, 1968, Mannar, Allepey (now Alappuzha), Kerala

Current age 41 years 109 days

Major teams India, Cheshire, Mumbai

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

Abey Kuruvilla
Batting and fielding averages
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 10 11 1 66 35* 6.60 164 40.24 0 0 0 4 0 0
ODIs 25 11 4 26 7 3.71 43 60.46 0 0 1 1 4 0
First-class 82 85 22 708 76 11.23 0 1 25 0
List A 63 25 8 55 9* 3.23 0 0 10 0
Bowling averages
Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 10 15 1765 892 25 5/68 6/117 35.68 3.03 70.6 1 1 0
ODIs 25 25 1131 890 25 4/43 4/43 35.60 4.72 45.2 1 0 0
First-class 82 15295 7907 290 6/61 27.26 3.10 52.7 10 0
List A 63 3011 2077 70 4/21 4/21 29.67 4.13 43.0 5 0 0
Career statistics
Test debut West Indies v India at Kingston, Mar 6-10, 1997 scorecard
Last Test India v Sri Lanka at Mumbai, Dec 3-7, 1997 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut West Indies v India at Port of Spain, Apr 26, 1997 scorecard
Last ODI India v Pakistan at Sharjah, Dec 14, 1997 scorecard
ODI statistics
First-class span 1990/91 - 1999/00
List A span 1991/92 - 2002
Profile

Abey Kuruvilla was unfortunate to have been selected several seasons too late to the national team. Possibly the tallest player to play for India at 6'6", Kuruvilla, in spite of his well endowed physique, was not an express bowler. Thriving on his ability to swing the ball and later developing variations such as a well disguised slower delivery, he had his grounding under the tutelage of Frank Tyson as part of the BCA-Mafatlal Bowling Scheme. Kuruvilla took 35 wickets in his first full season for Bombay in 1991-92 and although widely expected to make the tour of South Africa in 1992-93, was overlooked.

After trying out a whole flotilla of new ball bowlers without success in the following years, the selectors finally gave the gangling Mumbaikar a break on the 1996-97 West Indies tour. Kuruvilla emerged as a key figure in the Indian attack and a haul of 5 for 68 in the second innings of the third Test at Bridgetown set up a winning position for India, but the batsmen contrived to throw it away. He played five more Tests against Sri Lanka at home and away in the following season where he did creditably considering the flat shirtfronts on offer but, surprisingly, he was never considered again. Soft spoken and self effacing, Kuruvilla had no regrets for the shabby treatment meted out to him. "At least I played for a year. There are so many good cricketers who don't get to play even one game for India. I can't complain on that count", was his classic refrain in humility. He retired from first class cricket after the 1999-2000 Ranji Trophy final against Hyderabad.
Sankhya Krishnan

Latest Articles
Latest Photos

Mar 30, 2000

A Kuruvilla, Mumbai, Portrait

A Kuruvilla, Portrait

© Cricinfo Ltd

Dec 12, 1997

Champion's trophy, December 1997. England v India, 11 Dec 1997: A Hollioake b Kuruvilla

England v India, 11 Dec 1997: A Hollioake b Kuruvilla

© AllSport UK Ltd

Dec 12, 1997

England's Graham Thorpe is run out in the first match of the Champion's Trophy in Sharjah

Graham Thorpe is sent on his way by Kuruvilla in the England v India match

© AllSport UK Ltd

Country Fixtures Country Results
Group B: Bengal v Saurashtra at Kolkata - Nov 24-27
Saurashtra 650/9d Bengal 27/1
Group A: H. Pradesh v Tamil Nadu at Dharamsala - Nov 24-27
Tamil Nadu 293/8d H. Pradesh 291/4
Group A: Hyderabad v Orissa at Hyderabad (Decc) - Nov 24-27
Orissa 276 Hyderabad 123/5
2nd Test: India v Sri Lanka at Kanpur - Nov 24-28
India 642 Sri Lanka 66/1
Group B: Maharashtra v Karnataka at Poona - Nov 24-27
Maharashtra 105 Karnataka 473/4
Group A: Punjab v Gujarat at Mohali - Nov 24-27
Gujarat 160 Punjab 361/5
Group A: Railways v Mumbai at Delhi - Nov 24-27
Railways 187 Mumbai 248/8
Group B: U. Pradesh v Delhi at Lucknow - Nov 24-27
U. Pradesh 536/7d Delhi 9/0
Complete fixtures »
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