ODI stalwarts whose Test career was short, include 5 Indian cricketers

New Delhi. All three formats of cricket – Test, ODI and T20 are completely different in terms of character. It is not easy for any player to adapt his/her game according to these three formats. While Tests test the patience of the player, ODIs require playing with ‘calculated risks’. In this format, you have to set the ‘tone’ of the game according to the situation, whereas in T20 cricket, you have to be aggressive from the very first ball.

Many players are members of the national team in all three formats. On the contrary, there are some players who are counted among the best players of ODI/T20 but they were not very successful in Test matches. This is the reason why they got to play very few matches in the oldest format of cricket. West Indies’ Kieron Pollard retired without playing Tests despite performing brilliantly in more than 100 ODIs and T20Is. Let’s take a look at such players who performed well in limited overs cricket but could not play a ‘long innings’ in Tests.

Took 6 wickets in Test career, including a hat-trick, broke Abdul Razzaq’s record at the age of 19

Ajay Jadeja has played 196 ODIs and only 15 Tests to his/her credit

Ajay Jadeja’s image in ODIs was that of a very smart player. Cricket lovers will remember his/her powerful innings of 45 runs in 25 balls against Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup when he/she hit fours and sixes against Waqar Younus. This innings played an important role in India’s victory. Jadeja was also the captain of the Indian team in 13 ODIs. Jadeja, who played for India from 1992 to 2000, scored 5339 runs (4 centuries) at an average of 37.47 in 196 ODIs and also took 20 wickets, but his/her Test career ended after 15 matches. In Tests, he/she scored 576 runs at an average of 26.18.

Bevan has an average of 50+ in ODIs, played only 18 Tests
Michael Bevan is considered Australia’s all-time best ODI batsman. Middle order batsman Bevan has been a troubleshooter for the team many times. his/her ODI average is above 50. Bevan played 232 matches for Australia from 1994 to 2004 and scored 6912 runs at an average of 53.58, including 6 centuries. Bevan, a member of the World Cup winning team, also took 29 wickets in ODIs. But he/she was very ordinary in Test cricket. Bevan played only 18 Tests in which he/she scored 785 runs (6 half-centuries) at an average of around 29. Australia’s Andrew Symonds scored 5088 runs with the help of 6 centuries in 198 ODIs and took 133 wickets, but he/she could play only 26 Tests. In this too, he/she scored 1462 runs at an average of 40.61 but due to the presence of many star players in the team of his/her era, he/she got fewer Tests.

10 wickets in debut and last test, Bradman accused of ending his/her career!

Yuvi is a superstar in ODIs and T20s but could play only 40 tests
Yuvraj Singh, who rules the hearts of sports lovers, also had a short Test career. Yuvraj is such a brave player who played a significant role in making Team India the champion in T20 World Cup 2007 and ODI World Cup 2011. he/she surprised the world with the range of his/her shots by hitting 6 sixes in T20I. he/she was the Player of the Series in World Cup 2011. It was a special treat to watch Yuvraj’s batting. he/she scored 8701 runs and took 111 wickets in 304 ODIs. he/she has 1177 runs and 28 wickets in T20I. Yuvraj became the hero of India’s victory in many run chases. However, he/she could play only 40 Tests in which he/she scored 1900 runs (average 33.92) with the help of 3 centuries. During his/her Test career, he/she had to sit on the bench as the 12th player for a long time. Yuvraj has many times expressed the pain of getting fewer opportunities in Tests. Yuvraj, who was a member of the Indian cricket team from 2000 to 2017, played his/her last Test in December 2012. After this, he/she kept waiting for a chance in Tests.

‘Boom-Boom Afridi’ could play only 27 tests

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi has a huge fan following. he/she was adept at turning the tide of any ODI or T20 with his/her batting and bowling. When ‘Lala’s’ bat was in action, even the biggest target seemed possible. Afridi had garnered accolades at a young age by scoring a century in just 37 balls in ODIs. he/she played 398 ODIs and 99 T20s. he/she has 8064 runs and 395 wickets in ODIs and 1416 runs and 98 wickets in T20Is. But Afridi’s Test career was not long. Although he/she played his/her last international match in May 2018, this all-rounder’s Test journey came to a ‘full stop’ in July 2010 after 27 Tests. Like ODIs and T20s, Afridi liked to bat aggressively in Tests as well but he/she could not become a useful player in all three formats like Virender Sehwag. Afridi scored 1714 runs and took 48 wickets in Tests.

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Harris was very successful in ODIs but flopped in Tests
New Zealand’s all-rounder Chris Harris also made a splash in ODIs, scoring 4379 runs with the help of a century in 250 matches and taking 203 wickets. Harris’s economy in ODIs (1990-2004) was 4.28, which is proof of him/her being a smart bowler. However, Harris’ magic did not work in Test cricket and in 23 Tests, he/she was able to take only 16 wickets apart from scoring 777 runs at an average of 20.44.

Knight scored 5 centuries in ODIs but could play only 17 Tests
England’s Nick Knight’s Test record is quite ordinary. he/she could play only 17 Tests. Left-handed batsman Knight (1995-2003) used to put pressure on bowlers with his/her aggressive approach in ODIs. In 100 ODIs, he/she scored 3637 runs (5 centuries) at an average of 40.41 but could score only 719 runs in 17 Tests at an average of 23.96. Like Knight, England’s Neil Fairbrother was also a good ODI batsman. Middle order left-handed batsman Fairbrother scored 2092 runs in 75 ODIs at an average of 39.47 but could play only 10 Tests. he/she could score only 219 runs in Tests at an average of 15.64.

International career of just 12 days, he/she took a ‘paw’ including a hat-trick in the last ODI but…

Many records in ODIs but Agarkar did not perform well in Tests

Fast bowler Ajit Agarkar’s Test career was also short, while he/she took 288 wickets in ODIs. Agarkar, who created a record by taking 50 wickets in just 23 ODIs, is also the batsman to score the fastest half-century (21) from India in this format. Agarkar, the current chairman of the selection committee, took 288 wickets (4 wickets 10 times and 5 wickets in an innings twice) in 191 ODIs at an average of 27.85, but he/she could not do anything special in Tests. Agarkar could play only 26 Tests in which he/she took 58 wickets at an average of 47.32.

Raina scored a century in his/her debut test but…

The aggressive batsman Suresh Raina (2005-2018) was a special player for India in ODIs and T20 matches. Apart from scoring 5614 runs (5 centuries) at an average of 35.31 in 226 ODIs, he/she also took 36 wickets. he/she scored the first century from India in T20I. Raina (Suresh Raina) scored 1605 runs at an average of 29.18 in 78 T20Is and also took 13 wickets. he/she started his/her Test career by scoring a century in his/her debut match but could not maintain this success. It is believed that being uncomfortable in front of short pitch bowling cost him/her dearly. Raina could play only 18 Tests in which he/she scored 768 runs.

‘Dhamal’ with borrowed bats… Andy Sandham, Jimmy Amarnath, Afridi and Dhawan did wonders

Similarly, the Test careers of Australia’s fast bowler Nathan Bracken, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga (troubled by injuries), India’s Mohammad Kaif and West Indies’ Andre Russell were also much shorter than their ODI/T20 careers.

tag: ajay jadeja, Ajit Agarkar, Andre Russell, shahid afridi, suresh raina, yuvraj singh