International cricket may be frightening for any domestic cricketer looking to make a name for himself in the national team. Many great cricketers have stated that all it takes is one excellent knock or one good spell in international cricket to make a cricketer feel at ease.
Even after a strong start to their international cricket careers, not everyone is guaranteed a place in their country’s XI. Some players are left out due to the presence of more experienced players, some are injured and never return, while others have their positions taken by individuals who have performed better. Unfortunately, there are many athletes who had a promising start to their careers but were unable to continue.
1.Rob Nicol
After Guptill, Nicol is the second New Zealand batsman to score a century in his first innings. In 2011, the NZ batsman made history by smashing an amazing 108 against Zimbabwe at their home ground. Nicol’s cricketing career was marred by inconsistency, and the development of skilled and present star batsmen such as Williamson and Latham made it difficult for him to cement his spot and play for a longer period of time. In 22 ODIs, the batsman has scored 586 runs at an average of 30.84 and a strike rate of 75.32. In 21 T20s, he has scored 327 runs at an average of 17.21 and a strike rate of 110.47.
2.Colin Ingram
Colin Ingram made his international debut in 2010 against Zimbabwe, scoring a century on his debut to establish himself on the big stage. The big score, as usual, helped him maintain his spot in the elite Proteas line-up for a while before he was permanently replaced owing to his unreliability and ineptitude. Ingram has 843 runs from 31 ODIs at an average of 32.42 and an 82.4 strike rate, as well as 210 runs from 9 T20Is at an average of 26.25 and a 129.63 strike rate. Frustrated by the selectors’ lack of faith in him and therefore his prospects, Ingram got a contract with Kolpak and is a fearsome striker in T20 competitions all over the world.
3.Abid Ali
In 2019, Ali made his much-anticipated One-Day International debut against former world champions Australia, hitting 112 runs at an incredible strike rate of 94.11 in a losing cause in the UAE. The century earned him a place in Pakistan’s provisional team for the 2019 World Cup, but it didn’t go as planned, and Ali now views himself as the preferred opener in Test cricket, because of his good technique and calm demeanor.
4.Saleem Elahi
Elahi scored a magnificent 102 in his first game, opening the batting with the legendary Aamir Sohail, to help Pakistan win a vital match against Sri Lanka in 1995. Elahi’s enthralling debut performance raised the hopes and expectations of die-hard Pakistani supporters, but he couldn’t live up to them and was dropped from the team after a poor performance at the 2003 World Cup. In 48 ODI games, the batsman has scored 1579 runs at an average of 36.72 and a strike rate of 71.32. It’s tough to accept that a player of his caliber and class would leave the game due to inconsistency.
5.Michael Lumb
Lumb was the batsman who started the innings for England alongside wicketkeeper-batsman Kieswetter at the 2010 T20 World Cup, helping them win their first ICC championship. Lumb is most renowned for his T20 heroics, but his steady achievements on the domestic circuit in England helped him earn his long-awaited ODI debut against the Windies in 2014. He hit a magnificent 106, although in a losing cause, and repaid the selectors’ confidence. Lumb lost his place after England’s resources, methods, and attitude were overhauled following the 2015 World Cup, and he was never able to reclaim his spot.
