Irfan Pathan: The Faded All-Rounder
When Irfan Pathan burst onto the scene in 2003, his prodigious swing bowling earned him comparisons to the great Wasim Akram. His hat-trick in the first over of a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi is part of cricketing folklore. Pathan was a genuine
match-winner with the ball and contributed to historic Indian victories, including the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. However, a concerted effort by the team management, led by then-coach Greg Chappell, to mould him into a batting all-rounder had unintended consequences. As Pathan focused more on his batting, even opening the innings, the venom in his bowling began to fade. He started losing pace and his signature swing, turning from a lethal bowler who could bat into a batsman who could bowl a bit. A series of injuries further derailed his rhythm, and by the age of 27, when most cricketers are at their peak, his international career was effectively over.
Vinod Kambli: The Promise Unfulfilled
Few cricketers have had a more explosive start to their Test career than Vinod Kambli. He became the first Indian to score two double centuries in a row, and was the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 Test runs, taking only 14 innings. For a brief period, his exploits with the bat even overshadowed his childhood friend, Sachin Tendulkar. Yet, his Test career was over by the age of 23. While a perceived technical flaw against the short ball was often cited, the larger story was one of off-field indiscipline. Reports of a lack of work ethic, clashes with team management, and a flamboyant lifestyle began to overshadow his immense talent. After being dropped from the Test side, he couldn't hold on to his spot in the ODI team either, despite multiple comebacks. His career serves as a cautionary tale of how prodigious talent without discipline can go unfulfilled.
Karun Nair: The Triple Centurion's Exile
In December 2016, Karun Nair did something only one other Indian cricketer, Virender Sehwag, had ever done: he scored a triple century in Test cricket. His unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai should have been the foundation of a long and successful career. Instead, it became an inexplicable peak. After a few low scores in the subsequent series, Nair was dropped to make way for the returning Ajinkya Rahane. He remained in the squad for a while but was famously overlooked during the 2018 England tour, where he didn't play a single match. He was never given a consistent run to prove that his triple ton was not a fluke. For a player to reach such a rare milestone and then find himself out of the national team just a few matches later remains one of the most baffling selection sagas in modern Indian cricket.
Manoj Tiwary: A Victim of Circumstance
Manoj Tiwary was a giant of domestic cricket, scoring prolifically for Bengal for years, including a triple century in the Ranji Trophy. Whenever he got an opportunity in the Indian team, he showed promise. The most telling moment of his career came in 2011 against the West Indies, where he scored his maiden ODI century. However, he suffered from cramps and had to retire hurt on 104. In a cruel twist of fate, he was inexplicably left out of the team for the next 14 matches. Bad luck and the presence of a packed middle order meant his international career was limited to just 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is. Every time it seemed he might cement his place, an injury or a baffling selection decision would set him back, making him a classic case of a player who was perhaps born in the wrong era.
