Cricket is a game of uncertainties. What”s the most beautiful part of this game? It”s unpredictability! While hundreds of cricketers have played the game at international level, only a few have made it big! There have been some unlucky talented ones who craved for opportunities, only to see lesser mortals going through the ranks.
Some cricketers got such a long rope that experts were left wondering what”s so indispensable about them while there have been some who were dropped from the team when they were at the peak of their career.
Here”s a look at the cricketers who faced axing when they were having a time of their life
– by Atharva Apte
5) Adam Voges
A late bloomer at the international scene, Voges made his Test debut at the age of 35 and scored hundred in his very first test. Considering prime years of his career were robbed off, he was doing an outstandingly great job for Australia as his average touched 99 at one point, only second to Bradman. One bad series in Sri Lanka put his place under scrutiny. He followed it up by another small string of low scores in 2 tests against South Africa and was soon shown the exit doors. Considering how well he served Australian cricket during his little stint he definitely deserved more chances but selectors decided to invest only in youth and Voges” career saw an unfortunate end, another victim of being on the wrong side of the 30s!
He followed it up by another small string of low scores in 2 tests against South Africa and was soon shown the exit doors. Considering how well he served Australian cricket during his little stint he definitely deserved more chances but selectors decided to invest only in youth and Voges” career saw an unfortunate end, another victim of being on the wrong side of the 30s!
Test Stats
Matches -20, Runs – 1485, Average – 61.88, Highest Score – 269
4) Pragyan Ojha
Before the emergence of R Ashwin and Jadeja, this man was the backbone of Indian spin bowling attack. With Harbhajan”s dip in form in the later part of his career, the onus was on Ojha to deliver the goods and he used to turn up every single day play work horse with the ball. Not being the most mysterious spinner, he was very simple in the way he went about his job.
One of the reasons for his sacking was his incapability with the bat. India went for spinners who could bat better and add depth to batting leaving him out. He was reported for illegal bowling actions and had to remodel it but was never the same again.At 27 he played his last test for India and was a man of the match. That also happened to be Sachin”s last test and could turn out to be his last test as well.
Matches – 24 Wickets – 113 Best figures – 6/47 Average – 30.27 5w- 7
3) Ben Hilfenhaus
The right arm fast bowler from Tasmania was a vital cog in Australia”s pace battery. “Hilfy” as he was called believed in bowling stump to stump and swing it just enough to beat the batsman. When a crop of much more talented Pacers Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson, Cummins emerged, Hilfy lost his place on the side. In the last 2 years of his career, Hilfenhaus picked 47 wickets in 11 tests, which certainly make a good reading. His career ended not because he was bad, but because others were better. He was left stranded on 99 wickets in 27 tests and last played in December 2012.
Matches – 27 Wickets – 99 Best figures – 5/75 Average 28.51 5w – 2
2) Chris Gayle
The King of Kingston is the greatest T20 batsman of all time. Saying so, he also has 2 triple centuries in tests which make him a Test legend as well. He has had his fallouts with the board in the past that resulted in his axing from the West Indies side. In 2015 Gayle announced himself unavailable for the entire season citing a back injury and played IPL season. This invited displeasure among Windies selectors and was never picked again in test and ODIS, although he has played few T20Is. In last 2 years of his career, he averaged 43 in 8 matches. Even though Caribbean cricket has hit the rock bottom, selectors have remained adamant about their stand and it is a quite possible he may never don the whites again.
Matches – 103 Runs – 7215 Average – 42.15 Highest Score – 333
1) Kevin Pietersen
The flamboyant right-hander has been controversy”s favorite kid. Throughout the course of his career, there have hardly been few months on a trot when Pietersen was not involved in a controversy. When England toured India in 2012, Pietersen played one of the most sensational innings by a foreign player on Indian soil (186 at Mumbai). He was a great time in 2012-13 with an average of 44 during that time. When England got whitewashed in Ashes down under, Pietersen was made scapegoat and unfairly sacked with still 3-4 years of cricket left in him
– by Atharva Apte