Lakshmipathy Balaji was more popular than Imran Khan during 2003-04 Pakistan tour: Ashish Nehra

There’s still no clarity over the India-Pakistan Test series due to the current relations between both the countries. The arch-rivals had locked horns in the Test series in 2003-04 where India toured Pakistan for the first time since a similar gap.

The Men in Blue were touring their cricketing rivals since the Kargil War and the Sourav Ganguly-led side clinched the ODI as well as Test series. The Indian side was studded with many match-winners who later went on to etch their name as stalwarts of Indian cricket. The tour saw many impressive performances from players like Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Irfan Pathan.

However, according to former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra, who was also a part of that tour, the most memorable cricketer from that tour was right-arm pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Balaji played in all three Test matches and the five One-day Internationals and delivered impressive performance in India’s triumph in the third Test at Rawalpindi. Balaji plucked seven wickets in the series decider match and played a pivotal role in India’s victory.

Ashish Nehra heaps praise on Lakshmipathy Balaji

Hence, he was hailed as a popular and memorable cricketer by Nehra. Nehra also went on to say that Balaji was more popular than former Pakistan captain and current Prime Minister Imran Khan during the course of that historic tour.

“In the dressing room, Irfan can give you more stories, the only thing I remember is Laxmipathy Balaji on that particular tour. Maybe that time he was more popular than Imran Khan,” said Nehra in Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.

Pulling out his batting forte, Balaji had also hit Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami for sixes during the ODI series. Balaji went on to play eight Tests and 30 ODIs for the national side where he picked up 27 and 34 wickets respectively. He also represented India in 5 T20Is in which he scalped 10 wickets.

“Those six weeks he was hitting sixes left right and centre there was no doubt about it. Virender Sehwag triple hundred, Rahul Dravid double hundred, Irfan Pathan performance, all that is there but to me off the field, Pakistan, the nation as a whole and Laximathy Balaji in the dressing room,” said Nehra.