| At the time when Rajindra Dhanraj made his Test | | | | bowlers (and even finger spinners). |
| debut against India at Mumbai in 1994, leg-spinners | | | | The reasons for Dhanraj's limited career are complex. |
| were a rarity in the West Indies team. So much so, | | | | Spin bowlers in the Caribbean have a hard time with |
| that Dhanraj was the first leg-spinner to represent the | | | | impatient West Indian selectors. The art of spin bowling |
| regional team since Barbadian all-rounder David Holford | | | | is not even held in high regard-even as the West Indian |
| in 1977. According to Cricinfo's Martin Williamson, the | | | | pace-bowling factory ceased production of quality fast |
| former West Indies wicket keeper Jeff Dujon opined | | | | bowlers. That Dhanraj was never given a couple |
| that Dhanraj would be 'cannon fodder' for the | | | | games even in the same Test series indicates that he |
| Indians-who are especially adept at playing spin | | | | was never really afforded a decent chance. The way |
| bowling. | | | | he was utilized suggested that the West Indian |
| Born in Barrackpore, Trinidad on February 6th, 1969, | | | | selectors wanted to prove that spin bowling is |
| Dhanraj was one of many spinners to emerge from | | | | ineffective for the Caribbean side. |
| Trinidad. He made his First-class debut- at age 19-in the | | | | At the end of his career, Dhanraj managed 8 Test |
| 1987/1988 West Indies domestic season. Dhanraj was | | | | wickets from 4 Test matches at an expensive |
| a young wrist spinner who did not flight the ball a great | | | | average of 74.37. His ODI returns are significantly |
| deal, but could get the ball to turn either way off the | | | | better-even impressive. In only six ODIs, Dhanraj's |
| pitch. | | | | leg-spin accounted for 10 wickets at an incredible |
| On his Test debut, Dhanraj bowled tidily and took two | | | | average of 17.00. His ODI economy rate was also |
| wickets. That he was not taken advantage of by the | | | | very good; on average Dhanraj conceded only 3.86 |
| Indian batsmen contradicted Dujon's opinion. Dhanraj | | | | runs per over. Despite this, his last ODI was played in |
| went on to have a very short career in international | | | | 1995, after he made his ODI debut mere months earlier. |
| cricket. He also had the dubious distinction of having | | | | This demonstrates the anti-spin bias that continues to |
| played each of his four Test matches in different parts | | | | plague myopic West Indians. |
| of the globe and in Test different series. | | | | Rajindra enjoyed much success at the First-class level. |
| Dhanraj made his Test debut in India. From there, he | | | | In all, he scalped an impressive 295 wickets from just |
| went on to play a single Test match each in England, | | | | 78 matches, playing for Trinidad and Tobago and the |
| New Zealand and the West Indies. Many observers | | | | West Indies. Rajindra Dhanraj last played for Trinidad in |
| noted that Dhanraj was not allowed the chance to | | | | 2001, retiring from all forms of competitive cricket-at |
| develop at the highest level, especially as | | | | the relatively young age of 32. |
| wrist-spinners take a longer time to develop than fast | | | | |