Manoj Prabhakar is a former Indian cricketer and coach who gained recognition in international cricket. Born on April 15, 1963, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Prabhakar was a right-arm medium-pace bowler and a lower-order batsman. He was particularly known for his unique ability to both open the batting and bowling for India, a rare achievement in international cricket.

Career Highlights:

Test Debut: Prabhakar made his Test debut against England in 1984, playing 39 matches, scoring 1,600 runs, and taking 96 wickets.

ODI Career: He appeared in 130 ODIs, accumulating 1,858 runs and 157 wickets.

International Success: He was part of India’s winning squads for the 1985 World Championship of Cricket, 1984 Asia Cup, 1990-91 Asia Cup, and 1995 Asia Cup.

Coaching Career:

After retiring, Prabhakar transitioned into coaching, taking charge of teams such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Afghanistan, and Nepal’s national cricket teams.

Personal Life:

Prabhakar is married to actress Farheen, with whom he has two sons, Raahil and Manavansh. He also has a son named Rohan from his previous marriage to Sandhya.

Controversies:

Prabhakar has been involved in a few controversies, including match-fixing allegations in 1999, which resulted in a ban from representing India. Additionally, in 2011, he was dismissed as coach of the Delhi team after publicly criticizing players and selectors.