Which cricketer has opened his team's batting and bowling in the most number of Tests? (13 June 2002)
No, the honour does not rest with any of the world’s great all-
rounders - the most likely claimants in this case - as almost
none of them opened their team’s batting with any regularity.
The one exception was Wilfred Rhodes, the great England and
Yorkshire all-rounder, who during his playing years climbed
rapidly up his side’s batting rungs and became competent enough
to partner the peerless Jack Hobbs. But Rhodes was a left-arm
spinner and this meant that he never opened his team’s bowling.
With the greats being eliminated, it does not require a Sherlock
Holmes to divine that the honour, as of now, rests with one of
the game’s lesser lights - a true bits-and-pieces player in every
sense of the term.
Manoj Prabhakar definitely was not everybody’s favourite
cricketer but no one can deny that the colourful cricketer had
his moments under the sun. Even before he turned into a
desi James Bond and kicked up a Tehelka that is.
Other than being one of India’s finest exponents of swing bowling
during his years as an Indian cricketer, he also proved a handy
bat, particularly in the Test arena which suited his style of
stodgy willow wielding to a T. In 21 of the 39 Tests in which he
played, Prabhakar rendered praiseworthy service as a Test opener
and new ball bowler. In the process, he also overhauled the
record of his fellow-countryman ML Jaisimha, who had opened the
bowling and batting for India in 14 Tests. Jaisimha, it might be
mentioned, was a part-time bowler whose main duty was to take the
shine off the new ball before the spinners arrived.
Among players from other countries, Pakistan’s Mudassar Nazar,
who opened his country’s bowling and batting on nine occasions,
occupies pride of place.
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