Mukesh Narula

Although born in Delhi,{{Cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/18257.html |title=Mukesh Narula|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=2015-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127051101/https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/18257.html|archive-date=2021-11-27|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}} Narula was raised in Vadodara, and played all his representative cricket for Baroda teams.{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Barodian-comes-to-Canada-crickets-rescue/articleshow/39795551.cms|date=2014-08-07|title="Barodian comes to Canada cricket's rescue"|work=The Times of India|access-date=2015-04-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529232715/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Barodian-comes-to-Canada-crickets-rescue/articleshow/39795551.cms|archive-date=2022-05-29|url-status=live}} During his time at the University of Baroda, where he graduated in 1984, he played regularly in inter-university matches.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/Miscellaneous_Matches.html Miscellaneous matches played by Mukesh Narula] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula made his Ranji Trophy debut for Baroda's senior side during the 1985–86 season,[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/First-Class_Matches.html First-class matches played by Mukesh Narula] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. and in his fourth and final match, against Saurashtra in January 1986, scored a maiden first-class century, an even 100 not out.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/46/46810.html Saurashtra v Baroda], Ranji Trophy 1985/86 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Coming in seventh in the batting order, he put on 161 runs for the sixth wicket with Sanjay Hazare, which {{as of|April 2015|lc=y}} remains a record for Baroda–Saurashtra matches.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/India/Firstclass/Baroda/Partnership_Records/Highest_Partnerships_Baroda_v_Saurashtra.html Highest partnerships for Baroda against Saurashtra] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula scored another century, 105, in the following season's Ranji Trophy fixture against Saurashtra, and his 209-run fifth-wicket partnership with Tushar Arothe set another record for Baroda–Saurashtra matches.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/47/47993.html Baroda v Saurashtra], Ranji Trophy 1986/87 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. That was his only century of the 1986–87 season, and he similarly scored just a single century during the 1987–88 season, 102 against Gujarat.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/49/49449.html Baroda v Gujarat], Ranji Trophy 1987/88 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

A right-arm medium pacer, Narula rarely bowled early in his career, taking only five wickets in his first four Ranji Trophy seasons (and two wickets in an innings only once).[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/f_Bowling_by_Season.html First-class bowling in each season by Mukesh Narula] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. However, during the 1989–90 season Narula's six Ranji matches yielded 15 wickets, taken at an average of 27.26. He was Baroda's leading wicket-taker, with only Shaukat Dukanwala, a future United Arab Emirates ODI player, bowling more overs.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/1/Ranji_Trophy_1989-90/Baroda_Bowling.html Bowling for Baroda, Ranji Trophy 1989/90] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Against Bombay, Narula took a maiden five-wicket haul, 5/75, opening the bowling with ex-Test player Rashid Patel.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/52/52137.html Baroda v Bombay], Ranji Trophy 1989/90 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Although in the same match he was out for a duck, in the previous game against Maharashtra he had made what was to be the highest score of his career, an innings of 176 runs made over exactly six hours at the crease.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/52/52112.html Maharashtra v Baroda], Ranji Trophy 1989/90 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. At the time, Narula's innings was the highest by a Baroda number-six batsman, though it was surpassed by Kiran More's 180 during the 1996–97 season.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/India/Firstclass/Baroda/Batting_Records/Highest_Score_Each_Position_For.html Highest score in each position for Baroda] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

Narula's Ranji Trophy performances during the 1989–90 season secured a maiden Duleep Trophy appearance. Appearing for West Zone against South Zone at Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, he made little impact on the game, which saw South Zone compile 665 and West Zone all out for 465.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/52/52212.html South Zone v West Zone], Duleep Trophy 1989/90 (Semi-Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula again appeared for West Zone the following season, though in the limited-overs Deodhar Trophy rather than in the Duleep Trophy. He began the tournament with 3/37 from nine overs in the quarter-final against Central Zone,[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/53/53725.html West Zone v Central Zone], Deodhar Trophy 1990/91 (Quarter-Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. took another wicket in the semi-final against North Zone, and then finished with 3/57 in the final against East Zone, including the final wicket of the match to secure West Zone's victory. His most notable wicket in the final was that of future India captain Sourav Ganguly, who he had caught for 125, while his West Zone teammates had included Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Vinod Kambli.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/53/53745.html West Zone v East Zone], Deodhar Trophy 1990/91 (Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

Narula was one of Baroda's strongest bowlers during the early 1990s, with 20 wickets during the 1992–93 season and 17 during both the 1991–92 and 1993–94 season. His most notable bowling performance during this time was 5/48 for West Zone in the final of the 1991–92 Duleep Trophy, though this was not enough to prevent his team losing the game by 236 runs.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/55/55379.html West Zone v North Zone], Duleep Trophy 1991/92 (Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Later seasons saw returns of 6/92 (against Saurashtra in 1992–93), 6/101 (against Maharashtra in 1993–94), and 6/80 (against Saurashtra in 1994–95), with the last performance being a career best.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/f_Bowling_by_Opponent.html First-class bowling against each opponent by Mukesh Narula] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula's 1993–94 season yielded 320 runs from a combined eight Ranji and Duleep Trophy matches.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/f_Batting_by_Season.html First-class batting and fielding in each season by Mukesh Narula] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Although he averaged 40.00 for the season, his only score over 50 came in the Ranji quarter-final against Punjab, an innings of 131 from 343 balls that was made from eighth in the batting order and lasted almost seven hours.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/58/58617.html Baroda v Punjab], Ranji Trophy 1993/94 (Quarter-Final) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula's final first-class appearance was a one-off game for Baroda during the 1996–97 season, by which time he was 34. He finished his career with 2,373 runs and 104 wickets from 57 first-class games. During the Indian off-season, Narula had played several seasons of club cricket in Northern Ireland, appearing as a professional for the Drummond Cricket Club.Justin Robertson (24 September 2014). [http://www.sportsnet.ca/cricket/new-cricket-canada-coach-focusing-on-youth/ "New Cricket Canada coach focusing on youth"] – Sportsnet. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

In February 2020, he was named in Canada's squad for the Over-50s Cricket World Cup in South Africa.{{cite web |url=https://www.over50scricket.com/world-cup-scores-squads-news |title=2020 over-50s world cup squads |work=Over-50s Cricket World Cup |access-date=15 March 2020 |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920163511/https://www.over50scricket.com/world-cup-scores-squads-news |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13612;team=6720;type=tournament |title=Over-50s Cricket World Cup, 2019/20 – Canada Over-50s: Batting and bowling averages |publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=15 March 2020}} However, the tournament was cancelled during the third round of matches due to the coronavirus pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketworld.com/over-50s-world-cup-in-south-africa-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-outbreak/62521.htm |title=Over-50s World Cup in South Africa cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreak |work=Cricket World |access-date=15 March 2020}}

Having worked in management positions with Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL) outside of cricket,[http://mukeshnarula.com/aboutus.aspx About Mukesh] – MukeshNarula.com. Retrieved 25 April 2015. Narula's first major coaching role came when he was appointed coach of the Baroda under-19 side for the 2007–08 season. Baroda won the Cooch Behar Trophy (the under-19 equivalent of the Ranji Trophy) for the first time during that season, and he subsequently secured a role as batting consultant with the Mumbai Indians for the 2009 IPL season. Following the resignation of Paras Mhambrey in January 2010, Narula (previously an assistant to Mhambrey) was appointed senior coach of Baroda for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.Tushar Tere (14 December 2009). [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/-BCA-to-begin-hunt-for-new-Ranji-coach-for-Baroda/articleshow/5328145.cms? "BCA to begin hunt for new Ranji coach for Baroda"] – The Times of India. Retrieved 25 April 2015. He was re-appointed senior coach for the 2010–11 season, also coaching West Zone during the same season, and led Baroda to the final against Rajasthan, its best finish since the 2001–02 season. Despite his team's performance, Narula resigned as coach at the end of the season to take up a position at a Toronto cricket academy.Tushar Tere (3 March 2011). [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Ex-cricketer-who-coached-Baroda-to-Ranji-finals-quits/articleshow/7621770.cms "Ex-cricketer who coached Baroda to Ranji finals quits"] – The Times of India. Retrieved 25 April 2015. The coach of the Canadian under-19 team at the 2011 Under-19 World Cup Qualifier in Ireland, Narula was appointed head coach of the senior Canadian national team in August 2014. He was the first full-time coach since the resignation of Gus Logie in December 2013.(8 August 2014). [http://www.espncricinfo.com/canada/content/story/768097.html "Mukesh Narula appointed Canada coach"] – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 April 2015.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/18/18257/18257.html Career information and playing statistics] from CricketArchive
• [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/31900.html Career information and playing statistics] from ESPNcricinfo
• [http://mukeshnarula.com/ MukeshNarula.com], Narula's personal website

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Category:1962 births

Category:Baroda cricketers

Category:Coaches of the Canada national cricket team

Category:Living people

Category:Indian cricket coaches

Category:Indian cricketers

Category:Indian expatriates in Canada

Category:Cricketers from Delhi

Category:West Zone cricketers