Ajit Agarkar is a former Indian cricketer who played for the national team across tests and one-dayers as the spearhead bowler in the late 1990s along with Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, and Ashish Nehra. He was also included in Indias maiden T20I game against South Africa in December 2006. He is widely known for his short rhythmic run-up who can deliver express speeds and swing the ball both ways. As a batter, he was successful as a lower-order hard-hitter.He started his cricket career as a batter during childhood before he was introduced to Ramakant Achrekar by his father. Ajit Agarkar when he was 16 years old.His first major batting performance came in the inter-school Giles Shield tournament for the Under-16s when he scored a triple century at the age of 15. Carrying that form forward, he displayed a show-stealer show in the Harris Shield under-19 tournament where he was been disguised as the next Tendulkar in the making. Indias under-19 squad in 1995 at Lords. Ajit third from right sitting.Besides batting, when he got to know that an allrounder was required in the Bombay Ranji team, he started focussing on bowling skills as well. His key skills include bowling conventional swing at the start of the inning and reverse swing later in the game.He scored a century against the Sri Lankan Under-19 team in 1997. Sri Lankas team was led by Kumar Sangakkara and India team by Akash Chopra. Apart from this, he has also represented Indias U-17s against Englands U-17s. He made his Ranji debut in 1996/97 for Bombay against Gujarat. Ajit Agarkar.Soon, he made his international debut against Australia in ODIs in 1998. It was the first match of the Pepsi Triangular Series. India posted 309 runs in the first inning. Australia when came out to bat, had a century stand for the opening wicket when both Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar struck the major blows for Australia when Srinath dismissed Mark Waugh and Ajit Agarkar took the wicket of Adam Gilchrist. Gilchrist missed the line of the ball and edged it towards slip in the safe hands of captain Azharuddin. Agarkar finished with 31 runs in 5 overs with an economy of 6.20 in that match.His most famous spell came against Australia on 12 December 2003 at Adelaide Oval in a 2nd test match. It was a match where India won after beating Australia in Australia after twenty-two years. Australia was batting first and put on the mighty 556 runs. Ajit Agarkar took two wickets in that inning of Simon Katich and Adam Gilchrist. India in reply scored 523 runs. Then came the bowling performance that shifted the match towards India. Agarkar dismissed their opener Justin Langer LBW. Captain Ricky Ponting too couldnt stay for much longer and got dismissed when the teams score was 18. Likewise, the other four batters; Simon Katich, Andy Bichel, Jason Gillespie, and Stuart Macgill felt cheap and Australia could only manage 196 runs and gave India the target of 230 to chase. India went on to win this match. Ajit finished his match spell with 8 wickets for 160 runs. Ajit Agarkar celebrates after taking a wicket against Australia in December 2003.But Ajit Agarkar; the ODI bowler was most popular as Ajit Agarkar; the Test bowler. His performance in his debut ODI series bagged the selectors one more chance to play him in the next series which was against New Zealand at Sharjah on 17 April 1998. India was defending 220 runs. Agarkar bowled the opening spell and took the wicket in the very first over of their inning. Nathan Astle then had a partnership of 85 runs with the captain Stephen Fleming after which Agarkar dismissed Fleming on a teams score of 170. New Zealand got all out on 205 runs with Agarkar taking four wickets after conceding 35 runs in 10 overs. He continued to impress everyone when he took 16 wickets in the next 5 games he played against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, and Australia. Ajit Agarkar in ODIs.During a test match on 25 July 2002, Ajit Agarkar registered his name on the Lords honors board by scoring a century against the rival; England. He took three wickets during Englands 2nd innings but that didnt stop the host to set a mammoth target of 568 runs on the board. India on the other hand, when greats like Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, and Sachin Tendulkar failed to score big, Agarkar scored unbeaten 109, however, couldnt prevent his teams defeat by 170 runs. Ajit Agarkars century at Lords.On 6 November 2002, Ajit Agarkar scored 95 runs against West Indies coming at number three as a pinch hitter. Although, India lost the match by four wickets.