Batsman who made his test debut at the age of 35, created history, has a run average of 60+

New Delhi. The selectors always failed to recognize the potential of this unmatched batsman. This was the reason why Adam Voges got very limited opportunities to play for the Australian team. This right-handed batsman was given a place in the team only as a ‘replacement’ in case any key batsman is injured or unavailable. Western Australia’s Voges scored runs at a good average and strike rate in first class and List A matches but could not catch the attention of the selectors.

After being ignored for his consistently good performance, Voges finally got a place in the Australian ODI and T20 team at the age of 28. It may be considered Voges’s luck, the selectors’ neglect or the presence of many veterans in the Australian team of that era that despite being extremely talented, this batsman got very few opportunities to play for Australia. He got the opportunity to make his test debut at the age of more than 35 years.

This was the situation when Voges scored runs at an average of 45+ and a good strike rate (87.17 in ODI and 121.92 in T20I) in both ODI and T20I formats. In his shorter format career from 2007 to 2013, Voges scored 870 runs in 31 ODIs at an average of 45.78, with one century and four half-centuries. This tall batsman kept scoring good scores regularly during his ODI journey and was never out on 0 in this format. This was the reason that despite one century and four half-centuries in 31 ODIs, his run average was excellent. Voges’ T20I career was even shorter. He got only 7 matches to prove his ability, in which he remained unbeaten twice in five innings and scored 139 runs (average 46.33) with a top score of 51. In 2013, he played his last match in ODI and T20.

Voges was once included in the Australian team for the ODI matches against South Africa in 2009 but he made himself unavailable to marry his fiancee Christy. Later, justifying his decision, he said, ‘Australia Getting a chance to play for India is a big thing but I feel that you get married only once in your life and this is an important opportunity for me.

Made test debut at 36, created history

The limit was reached when despite showing batting ability in the shorter format, Voges had to wait till June 2015 for his Test debut. At the age of 35, he got a chance to play Test when other cricketers had either retired or were thinking about it. However, Voges took full advantage of this opportunity against West Indies and created history. In this test, he scored an unbeaten 130 runs with the help of 13 fours and one six in 247 balls and became the oldest batsman to score a century in the debut test. He gave a befitting reply to the selectors by making a significant contribution to Australia’s victory in the debut test and becoming the ‘Player of the Match’.

This batsman was out for 99 runs in the test, could never score a century again in his career.

Average of 61.87 in 20 tests, two double centuries

Adam Voges had a partnership of 449 runs with Shaun Morsh for the fourth wicket. ICC/X

Despite increasing age, the flow of runs from Voges’ bat did not stop. Remaining unbeaten seven times in 31 innings of 20 Tests, he scored 1485 runs at an impressive average of 61.87, which included five centuries (two double centuries). During this period, Voges’s highest score was 269 not out, which he made against West Indies in Hobart in December 2015. During this innings, Voges made a partnership of 449 runs with Shaun Morsh for the fourth wicket, which is still the biggest partnership for this wicket. The record of scoring centuries (269*, 106* and 239) in three consecutive Test innings is also in the name of Voges.

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Second in run average after Bradman

Voges scored another double century (239 runs) in the Wellington Test against New Zealand in February 2016. Voges is at third place in terms of run average in Test cricket. Only the great Don Bradman (99.94 in 52 Tests) and England’s Harry Brooks (62.15 in 12 Tests) have a higher run average than him. Not only this, if playing minimum 20 Tests is considered as the yardstick, then Voges comes second only to Bradman in run average. In November 2016, Voges played his last Test in which he was out on a golden duck in the first innings while he could score only 2 runs in the second innings. Voges retired from Test cricket with the second best average after Don Bradman, later overtaken by Brooks, who debuted in 2022.

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Could have got a chance for test debut in 2006-07 but..
After 2005, Voges was scoring a lot of runs in Australia’s domestic cricket. Meanwhile, Test team’s batsman Damien Martin announced his retirement. It was considered certain that Voges would be selected in the team for the 2006 Ashes series as an alternative to Martin, but luck intervened. The selectors preferred the experienced Andrew Symonds in his place and Voges remained waiting for his turn.

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Has also played in IPL, now is advisor of LSG
Voges, considered the best player in the T20 format, has also played in the Indian Premier League. He was a member of the Rajasthan Royals team in the 2010 season. He remained unbeaten thrice in 7 innings of 9 matches and scored 181 runs at an average of 45.25 and strike rate of 126.57. In IPL 2024, he is included in the support staff of Lucknow Supergiants team as a consultant.

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