Debasis Mohanty

It is never easy for a cricketer from one of the weaker states to break into the national side. And on this count, Debashish Mohanty deserves credit for forcing himself into the Indian team on merit. Another who has come through the India A ranks, Mohanty's bowling impressed coach K Srikkanth who advocated his early inclusion in the senior side. A medium pace bowler capable of achieving quite a bit of movement in helpful conditions, Mohanty's tragedy has perhaps been the fact that the selectors have not known what exactly to do with him or where to fit him in. In English conditions for example Mohanty would be an obvious choice in the playing eleven. And as he proved in the World Cup, the selectors were right in picking him at the last moment, even though he was not in the original list of probables.

In Indian conditions however, given his bowling style, Mohanty is bound to be less successful, except perhaps at centres like Calcutta and Mohali. He had few chances to cement his place on the tour of Australia where Ajit Agarkar was given more opportunities. But Mohanty was dropped in 2001 and slipped out of the international reckoning, remaining a capable performer wherever conditions help swing bowling.
Partab Ramchand (May 2004)