International career

Lakshmipathy Balaji was born on 27 September 1981. He is a former cricketer and now works as a coach. He played as a right-arm fast-medium bowler. Balaji represented the Indian cricket team and was part of the squad that reached the final of the 2004 Asia Cup.

His international career started in November 2002 when he played his first One Day International against the West Indies. In October 2003, he made his Test debut against New Zealand. Balaji played 8 Test matches, taking 27 wickets, and featured in 30 ODIs, where he claimed 34 wickets. He also played 8 T20 internationals for India.

Balaji was part of the Chennai Super Kings from 2008 to 2010. He helped the team win the 2010 IPL and the Champions League Twenty20 in the same year. Later, he played for Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 to 2013, winning the 2012 IPL. In 2014, he played for Kings XI Punjab.

After retiring from cricket in 2016, Balaji began working as a coach. He became the bowling coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017. In 2018, he moved to Chennai Super Kings as their bowling coach. He resigned from this role in 2022, but he continued working with the Super Kings Academy.

As of February 2025, Balaji is the head coach of the Tamil Nadu cricket team.

2002

• ODI Debut: India vs West Indies at Vadodara on November 18, 2002
  Balaji played his first ODI but did not take any wickets in his four overs. India lost the match by five wickets.

2003

• Test Debut: India vs New Zealand at Ahmedabad from October 8-12, 2003
  In his first Test match, Balaji took one wicket. The match ended in a draw, and he did not play in the next game.

2004

• Tri-series in Australia: Balaji played all 10 matches and took 13 wickets, finishing as the fourth highest wicket-taker.
• India Tour to Pakistan: In March-April, Balaji played all three Test matches, taking 12 wickets, and helped India win the series.
  In the ODI series, he took six wickets in five matches, helping India win again.
• 2004 Asia Cup: Balaji took three wickets in four matches as India finished second.
• Videocon Cup: In two matches, Balaji was the top wicket-taker, with six wickets.

2005

• India vs Pakistan Test Series: Balaji played all three Test matches, with the last match being his final Test match. He took nine wickets, including a career-best 5/76 in the first innings.
• Injuries: Balaji suffered a stress fracture that worsened over time. This injury kept him out of cricket for more than a year.

2007

• Return to Cricket: After a long break due to injury, Balaji returned to cricket in 2007.

2008-2009

• Domestic Cricket: Balaji had a good season in 2008-09, helping Tamil Nadu reach the Ranji Trophy semifinals.

2009

• ODI Return: After his strong domestic form, Balaji joined the Indian ODI squad in January 2009.
  He played the last ODI match against Sri Lanka, which became his final ODI match.

2012

• T20I Debut: India vs New Zealand at Chennai on September 11, 2012.
  Balaji made his T20I debut at his home ground in Chennai. He was later selected for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20.
• 2012 ICC World Twenty20: Balaji played four matches in the tournament and took nine wickets. He finished as the fourth highest wicket-taker despite India getting knocked out early in the tournament.
• Last International Match: Balaji’s final match came against South Africa in the 2012 World Twenty20.

Leagues Participation

On March 29, 2008, Balaji joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the first season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Indian Premier League

Balaji had a successful career in the IPL, playing for Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Kings XI Punjab. He made history in 2008 by taking the first-ever hat-trick in the tournament and won the Man of the Match award for his five-wicket haul. 

Year	Team	Notes
2008	Chennai Super Kings	Hat-trick in May, 5 wickets, Man of the Match award.
2009	Chennai Super Kings	16 matches, 13 wickets, 4 runs.
2010	Chennai Super Kings	IPL winner, 18 runs, 7 wickets.
2011	Kolkata Knight Riders	4 runs, 10 wickets in 14 matches.
2012	Kolkata Knight Riders	IPL winner, 11 wickets in 15 matches.
2013	Kolkata Knight Riders	9 runs, 12 wickets in 15 matches.
2014	Kings XI Punjab	1 run, 12 wickets in 9 matches.

Domestic career

Lakshmipathy Balaji was born on September 27, 1981, in Chennai. He began his cricket career in 1999 with Tamil Nadu Under-19s. His debut in first-class cricket came in 2001, where he took five wickets against Goa. This performance caught the attention of the selectors and earned him a place in the India A team in 2002. Later that year, he made his ODI debut against the West Indies.

Balaji's domestic cricket career was successful. In the 2002-03 season, he took 48 wickets, helping Tamil Nadu reach the semi-finals of the Ranji Trophy. His strong performance earned him a place in the Indian Test team in 2003 against New Zealand.

Despite injuries that affected his career, Balaji continued to perform well. He made his List A debut in 2001-02 and his T20 debut in 2008 for Chennai Super Kings. He played for several IPL teams, including Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Kings XI Punjab. In 2010, he helped Chennai Super Kings win the IPL and the Champions League Twenty20.

Balaji struggled with a back injury in 2004, which sidelined him for some time. However, he returned to the game and continued playing. His skill in swinging the ball and using the short ball made him effective, even in difficult conditions for fast bowlers in India.

Balaji retired after his last domestic match in 2015. He left behind a legacy of dedication, hard work, and a positive attitude toward the game.

Records and achievements

Lakshmipathy Balaji achieved a lot in his cricket career. He played for India and in domestic tournaments like the IPL.

• Asian Cup 2004: Part of the Indian team that finished as runners-up.
• Test Series against Pakistan (March 2005): Took 9 wickets in the first match, including his best performance of 5/76 in the first innings.
• Indian Premier League 2010: Won the IPL and Twenty20 Champions League with Chennai Super Kings.
• Indian Premier League 2012: Won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final.
• Last IPL Season (2014): Played for Kings XI Punjab, taking 12 wickets in 9 matches.
• First IPL Hat-Trick (2008): Took the first-ever hat-trick in the IPL and won the Man of the Match award.
• Ranji Trophy 2002-03: Helped Tamil Nadu reach the semi-finals by taking 36 wickets.

Personal life

Lakshmipathy Balaji has had a colorful and challenging journey, both on and off the cricket field. His personal life includes his family, achievements, and some public challenges that have shaped his image.

Finance

Lakshmipathy Balaji has built up a net worth of around $5 million by 2024. This wealth comes from his time as a cricketer, advertising contracts, and other business opportunities he has taken on throughout his career.

Family

Lakshmipathy Balaji was born on September 27, 1981, in Madras, Tamil Nadu. He married Priya Thalur in 2013. His father is Lakshmipathy, and his mother’s name is Mallika. He has two sisters, Padmini and Vijayalakshmi. His uncle, L. Balaji, has also had a notable connection to cricket.

Scandals

In 2005, Lakshmipathy Balaji faced a serious back injury that nearly ended his career. The injury kept him away from cricket for more than a year, which was a major setback for him. Another well-known incident in his career involved a confrontation with Shoaib Akhtar, a tough competitor. Balaji managed to score 10 runs in 6 balls during a match, including a strong shot off Akhtar’s delivery. He also spoke about the racism and bullying he faced in his career. Balaji has often mentioned the discrimination that still exists in different areas of life, making his words important for fans and the cricketing world.

Fans

Balaji is widely loved by fans, who appreciate his skill with the ball and his trademark smile. He has a loyal following, as his fans admire both his performance on the field and his humble, likeable personality. Though his social media presence may not be very active, his fans continue to support him, and he remains a popular figure in the cricket world.