Balwinder Sandhu

Who is Balwinder Sandhu?

Balwinder Singh Sandhu is a former Indian Test cricketer. He represented India in eight Test matches as a medium pace bowler who could swing the ball and was a useful batsman.

A late starter in cricket, Sandhu's break came when he was spotted during a summer coaching camp by the former first class cricketer Yeshwant 'Baba' Sidhaye. Next year, he came under the influence of the famous coach Ramakant Achrekar and later the Ranji player Hemu Dalvi.

Sandhu's chance in first class cricket came in 1980-81 when Karsan Ghavri, the regular opening bowler for Bombay, was away with the national side. Sandhu did not play in the first two matches of the season but then his debut against Gujarat where he claimed nine wickets. He was not part of the side to play in the final against Delhi that season, but was included at the last moment when the originally chosen Ravi Kulkarni dropped out. In a sensational spell, he reduced Delhi to 18-5 on the first morning and finished with nine wickets in the match. His 25 wickets in the season came at an average of 18.72.

Early in the 1982-83 season, in the Duleep Trophy match for West Zone against South he took eight wickets and scored 56 while batting at No.11. Another five wicket haul in the Irani Trophy put him in the Indian team that toured Pakistan.