For any cricketer in India, donning the national team’s cap stands as the pinnacle achievement. However, securing a spot in the Indian cricket team is just the beginning of a relentless battle to maintain it. Despite the talent exhibited by numerous players, their international careers often dwindle prematurely.
Manoj Tiwary, a stalwart for Bengal over two decades, and a participant in 12 ODIs and three T20Is for India, finds himself among those whose journey didn’t meet its full potential. Tiwary debuted in ODIs against Australia in 2008 and marked his presence with a century against West Indies in Chennai in 2011, earning the Man of the Match accolade. Nevertheless, inconsistency plagued his appearances, with a notable gap until his next ODI in July 2012 against Sri Lanka.
Following his retirement, Tiwary expressed regret over not receiving the prestigious Test cap despite his contributions to the limited-overs formats. His story epitomizes the arduous path and elusive nature of sustained success at the highest level of cricket in India.
Manoj Tiwary said: “When I had completed playing 65 first-class matches, my batting average was around 65. The Australia team had toured India then, and I had scored 130 in Chennai in a friendly game, then I scored 93 against England in a friendly game. I was very close, but they picked Yuvraj Singh instead. So Test cap and the fact that I was ignored after getting the Man of the Match award for scoring a hundred…I was ignored for 14 straight matches. When self-confidence is at its peak and someone destroys that, then that player is finished.”
“Confidence is everything for a player, in any profession. “I know the name but I don’t want to take it. I am a grown man now. When a player is omitted, it’s the decision of the team management.”
The reporter asked the captain of the team at that time MS Dhoni, to which Tiwary said: “Yes, MS Dhoni was the captain. If I get the opportunity to ask the question, I will ask him why I was dropped from the team after scoring the century, especially in that tour of Australia where nobody was scoring runs, neither Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Suresh Raina. I have nothing to lose now.”
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