Express News Service By

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the past 20 years, former Indian medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad has been trying to learn Malayalam from his wife Jayanthi, who hails from Palakkad. But the 45-year-old, who was in the city on Wednesday to attend a private function, admitted that it isn’t really his cup of tea.

“Though my in-laws are in Kerala and Malayalam is such a sweet language, it is really hard for me to pronounce some of the words,” said Prasad who, along with his Karnataka teammate Javagal Srinath, once led India’s pace assault.

“I am trying hard to learn for 20 years and I do understand a few things. ‘Kurachu ariyum,’” Prasad said, adding a pinch of his broken Malayalam.

Prasad, who is employed with Canara Bank, is on a two-day visit to Kerala and waxed lyrical about the state. “It is always a privilege and honour to be in Kerala. As a cricketer, I have travelled across the state and played at Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Thalassery and Kozhikode,” said Prasad, who now coaches the Uttar Pradesh state team in the domestic circuit.

“But in recent times, my visits have been centred around Guruvayoor and other temples with my family. I am a fan of the greenery and hill stations of Kerala and it is my most preferred holiday destination,” the right arm medium pacer said.

Prasad also said that he keeps a close eye on cricket in Kerala. According to him, the performance of batsmen and bowlers from the state must be more consistent if they are to reap rewards at the national level.

“Sanju V Samson is a highly talented youngster and he has been knocking on the doors of the national team for some time now. I am sure he will get his chance, but consistency must be the key,” said Prasad.

On India’s current bowling attack at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 progressing at Australia and New Zealand, Prasad said that the pacers have proved their critics wrong with good performances so far in the tournament.

“I think the credit must go to Indian captain M S Dhoni for giving the bowlers the freedom to express and for taking crucial decisions when it matters,” he said, adding that it is inevitable that Dhoni’s bat will also do the talking in the later stages of the World Cup.

“We have been good so far and we have all the ingredients to retain the trophy,” he said.