For the last two seasons Praveen Kumar has given an impression of being someone cut out for legendary status in domestic cricket : mightily impressive but lacking that something to make it to the highest level.
He's lacked speed while bowling his canny medium-pacers, and control while hitting robustly. He has often thrown his wicket away after scoring a quick 20 and sometimes tended to look innocuous after three-four testing overs, given his limited pace. Yet over the last two seasons, he has shown enough intent, ferocity and persistence to not be ignored. He is probably the only bowler in India who consistently swings the ball both ways, something that has helped him maintain a degree of hostility at an average pace of around 125kmph. With his batting he has been a handy hitter both down the order and as a surprise opener.
In Uttar Pradesh's championship-winning season in 2005-06, when Kumar first came to prominence, he was easily the player of the year: 41 wickets and 386 runs, four five-fors, one 10-for, and three half-centuries. He was Mohammad Kaif's go-to man: whenever UP were in trouble, they could just turn to Kumar and sure enough, something would happen.
The immediate reward was a place in the last year's Challenger Series, where he bowled 19 overs for 142 runs, and fared ordinarily with the bat too. In the season that followed, although UP's performance took a plunge, Kumar managed to finish at No. 8 on the wicket-takers' list. The disappointing season was followed with a good news: a place in the India A team for a triangular series in Kenya.
Like a man in hurry, in the first match in Kenya he followed up a three-wicket haul with an unbeaten 27-ball 57. In the few matches that he played for India A, he was at times spectacular and never below consistent. A place in this year's Challenger was a well-deserved break and he responded with his tried and tested early-impact policy. The first ball of the tournament was a vicious in-dipper, which left the batsman unbalanced and on the ground, trying to escape an lbw, but leaving the stumps exposed. In the second game, he hit Munaf Patel over extra cover for four, again off the first ball. It was followed by a six later in the over, and a five-for later in the match. Not for him the gentle loosener with the ball or the cautious sighter with the bat.
It will be impossible to get the statistics, but given his propensity to take swipes at the first balls, he might end up with the most first-ball boundaries. It was a habit that first came to notice during the Ranji final two years ago. A flat wicket had set the stage for a saunter-your-way-to-a-first-innings-lead match. In a move that surprised all, Kumar walked out to open and slashed the first ball over the slips for four and although he scored only 48 - in even time - he had left the Bengal bowlers demoralised.
The aggression, the early starts and the ability to bowl long hostile spells have helped him use his limited ability and become one of the most valuable players in domestic cricket. But there is a huge leap from domestic cricket to international cricket, a gap as wide as the one between Ranadeb Bose and Mohammad Asif.
The quality of opposition he has faced so far is a long way off international standards - this season even the Challenger Trophy does not feature many India players. In domestic cricket, he has managed to bully his way through, but he is going to an arena where he is more likely to be bullied. Does he have another level that he can raise his game to? He might end up getting only a chance or two, but that is something that shouldn't worry him: he is used to explosive starts.
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