Debabrata Pradhan

Debabrata Pradhan is an exciting prospect playing for Odisha across the three domestic formats in India.

Recommended by former Indian Test batter, and legendary English club professional, Wasim Jaffer, Pradhan is a genuine seam bowling all-rounder with a future. He has impressed in the infancy of his domestic career with the bat, and particularly ball.

A sharp-opening seam bowler, Pradhan has a reputation for taking early wickets. Whilst not his best figures in first-class (those are 4/39), perhaps his performance of note to date was his 3-13 (7) including 4 maidens in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match against the star-studded Vidarbha side, taking 3 of the top 4 wickets including Faiz Fazal, Atharva Taide, and Yash Rahod.

Pradhan’s journey, though, began many years ago for Odisha age-group sides, in the respective Cooch Behar, CK Nayudu, and Inter-State competitions. He excelled, culminating with senior selection in 2017. Since then, he hasn’t looked back, cementing his spot with performances with bat and ball.

It’s such a shame COVID struck at the wrong time for Pradhan, following a sensational 2019/20 Ranji Trophy campaign, where he captured 25 wickets at 23.90. Nevertheless, he has become an Odisha stand-out and will no doubt continue to excel in red-ball cricket when Ranji cricket returns in future.

Last summer (2022), Pradhan winged his way to the UK to play for Skelmanthorpe in the Drakes Huddersfield League. Whilst his stint was delayed due to visa issues, when he arrived he made up for lost time bagging 35 wickets at 14.17 including best figures of 6-11.