Ashok Kurjibhai Patel, born on 6 March, 1957 in Bhavnagar, in India was a right-arm offbreak bowler and a right-hand batsman.
He had participated in domestic cricket for Saurashtra and eight one-day internationals for India in 1984-85.
Ashok Patel excelled as a off-spinner, particularly in the Ranji and the Duleep Trophy matches in the 1984-85 season.
His off-beat bowling flight was discrete, and was effective for courting wickets, with success.
Patel was a wrist -spinner who used to deliver spin balls with the workings of his wrist. Bowling in a flat-spin art, Patel bagged 21 wickets in eight innings at an outstanding average of 19.52 .
The 1984-85 Duleep Trophy game, saw Patel procuring four vital wickets for West Zone against South Zone .
His own merits helped him to hit the headlines. He caught the attention of the selection committee, looking for a change in place of Shivlal Yadav.
His One-Day International debut was in the India Vs Australia match at New Delhi, on September 28, 1984. Although, as a batsman, he could not add a single run, he fared well in bowling, in terms of it being his first ODI appearance. He bowled 10 overs, giving only 27 runs, and grasped the wicket of K.J. Hughes of Australia.
His career got a new exposure. Ashok Patel , got the chance to take part in eight One-Day Internationals, against Australia and England.
His single most achievement, which deserved mention, was his glorious 43 against Australia, at Indore.
Ashok Patel`s last ODI was on January 23, 1985, in the match of India Vs England at Nagpur.
Ashok Patel, tried to give spin-bowling a different dimension.
