Prakash Poddar

Prakash Chandra Poddar (18 October 1940 – 29 December 2022)^[1][2] was an Indian first-class cricketer who played for Bengal cricket team and Rajasthan cricket team. After his playing career, he became a Talent Resource Development Officer (TRDO) for the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Prakash Poddar

Personal information
Full name	Prakash Chandra Poddar
Born	(1940-10-18)18 October 1940 Calcutta, Bengal Province, British India
Died	29 December 2022(2022-12-29) (aged 82) Hyderabad, India
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Leg break googly
Role	Top-order batsman; occasional wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1960/61–1976/77	Bengal
1964/65–1966/67	Rajasthan
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A Matches 74 1 Runs scored 3,868 28 Batting average 38.29 – 100s/50s 11/18 0/0 Top score 199 28* Balls bowled 125 – Wickets 2 – Bowling average 32.50 – 5 wickets in innings 0 – 10 wickets in match 0 – Best bowling 1/12 – Catches/stumpings 38/1 0/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 7 January 2016

Career

A right-handed top-order batsman, Poddar appeared in 74 first-class matches playing for Bengal, Rajasthan, East Zone, Central Zone. He played unofficial Tests for India^[3] and also appeared for Rest of India in Irani Cup and Board President's team in tour games. In January 1964, playing for Board President's XI, Poddar scored 100 not out against a Marylebone Cricket Club bowling attack consisting of John Price, Jeff Jones, Barry Knight, John Mortimore and Donald Wilson.^[4] Poddar appeared in two Ranji finals, both during his three-year stint with Rajasthan.^[5] He was the third-highest run-getter of the 1970–71 Ranji Trophy scoring 562 runs at an average of 70.25,^[6] with a top-score of 199 run out in Bengal's quarterfinal match against Vidarbha.^[7] He captained Bengal in a few matches during his career and retired after the 1976/77 season.

After retirement, Poddar worked for the Board of Control for Cricket in India as a Talent Resource Development Officer (TRDO) of the Talent Resource Development Wing. Poddar is credited as the man who "discovered" Mahendra Singh Dhoni during a match in 2003.^{[8][9][10][11]} Poddar wrote his observations about Dhoni, "Good striker of the ball; has a lot of power but needs to work on his wicket-keeping. Technically not very good. Is very good at running between wickets." He recommended Dhoni to the National Cricket Academy, and Dhoni went on to play for India A in 2003/04 and then for the national team. Poddar was TRDO for just one year.^[8]

References

1. "Prakash Poddar, former Indian cricketer who first recommended MS Dhoni to BCCI, dies". Hindustan Times. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
2. Roy, Goutam (3 January 2023). "Prakash Podder: ধোনিকে প্রথম চিহ্নিত করেছিলেন, প্রয়াত বাংলার প্রাক্তন ক্রিকেটার প্রকাশ পোদ্দার". bengali.abplive.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: ABP Ananda. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
3. "Cheering for cricket". Times of India. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
4. "Indian Board President's XI v Marylebone Cricket Club in 1963/64". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
5. "First-Class Matches played by Prakash Poddar". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
6. "Batting and Fielding in Ranji Trophy 1970/71 (Ordered by Runs)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
7. "Bengal v Vidarbha in 1970/71". CricketArchive. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
8. Magotra, Ashish. "The man who discovered Mahendra Singh Dhoni". Firstpost. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
9. "Bring back the scouts". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
10. . The Telegraph. Calcutta. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
11. Ezekiel, Gulu (1 April 2013). Captain Cool: The MS Dhoni Story. Westland. p. 224. ISBN 9382618252.

External links

• Prakash Poddar at ESPNcricinfo
• Prakash Poddar at CricketArchive (subscription required)