Cricket always stayed with me: Lakshmipathy Balaji – Cricket News Update
Due to make a comeback to the national squad after a hiatus of roughly three-and-a-half years, Indian seamer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lakshmipathy-Balaji-c72130 has stated that his undying passion for the sport is the reason behind his return to the team.
“It's nice to be back. But at the same time, it's not that I'm going to make my debut. Yes, I didn't play for India for a long time but cricket always stayed with me,” he said.
“Be it at first-class or club level, I play with my heart and soul,” Balaji added. “That's my passion and the reason why I've been able to make a comeback. I really thank God for giving me the break.”
Considered a promising pace prospect for India, Balaji, who made his international debut in 2002 during an ODI against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 at Vadodara, has played a total of 8 Tests (with 27 wickets to is credit) and 30 ODIs (34 scalps) for the team.
However, his time with the Men in Blue has been hampered by several injuries throughout the previous decade, many of which have been career-threatening (including a stress fracture sustained in 2005, which kept him out of the sport for up to 3 years).
He last played for the national side in February 2009, during an ODI against Sri Lanka at Colombo, after which a severe knee injury threatened to force him out of cricket, and caused him to slip out of the selectors’ radar. However, a successful stint with
the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 5th edition of the Indian Premier League tournament this year (during which he claimed 10 wickets in eight matches), brought him back under the scrutiny of the national selectors.
As a result, Balaji has been named in India’s 15-man squad for the upcoming 2-match T20I series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 tournament, scheduled to be played
in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 during the later part of September this year.
Expressing his pleasure at having obtained another chance to don the blue http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750.
“It's an honour to represent the country,” he said. “We hope to do our best and get back the Cup for India.”
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