Playing for India is a tremendous honor that requires tenacity, guts, and a tremendous amount of commitment. Every player desires to represent India on the international stage, and it is fair to say that the thrill that comes with achieving so is immeasurable.
Cricketers dream of wearing the national colors, but breaking into the national team in a densely populated country like India, where cricket is more than a game, is difficult. It evokes a wide range of emotions, and cricket is regarded as a national event in this country. The level of competitiveness in the country is quite high, and physical requirements must be maintained as well.
Injuries are something that every cricket player tries to avoid since they might jeopardize their careers and any momentum they may have created. On the other hand, these injuries might occasionally be a blessing in disguise for other players who are waiting for their turn. There have been occasions where players have been summoned to fill a void left by an injured player at the last minute.
Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha has been the finest wicketkeeper in India for a long time and has also contributed significant runs with the bat. However, he also played in the shadow of MS Dhoni for a long time, serving as his understudy before taking over as the first-choice keeper after Dhoni’s retirement in 2014. In 2010, as a replacement for a replacement, Saha made his Test debut as a specialist batsman. VVS Laxman had a back injury and was replaced by Rohit Sharma for the first Test match of the home series against South Africa in 2010. Unfortunately for Rohit, but luckily for Saha, Rohit hurt his ankle playing rocket-ball on the morning of the Nagpur Test, resulting in Saha’s inclusion in the team as a batsman.
Ramesh Powar
Because of his slightly odd bowling technique and dubious fitness levels, Ramesh Powar’s participation offered cricket fans something to talk about. The off-spinner from Maharastra appeared in 31 One-Day Internationals for India, taking 36 wickets. He was also picked for two Tests against Bangladesh, but he did not perform well, and he was dropped from the starting lineup. In an era when all of the main cricketing nations were focusing on fitness, Ramesh Powar managed to steal the show for all the wrong reasons. His poor fielding allowed too many runs to be scored, and he was eventually cut from the Indian team.
Shahbaz Nadeem
Shahbaz Nadeem of Jharkhand, one of the best spinners in Indian domestic cricket, labored hard after making his FC debut in 2004. He regularly performed well for India A teams, but the presence of Ashwin and Jadeja in home Tests, as well as the development of Kuldeep Yadav as the third-option spinner, left Nadeem with no alternative but to keep working hard, which he did without grumbling. Finally, his time in the spotlight came as a result of Kuldeep Yadav’s unlucky injury on the eve of the third Test against South Africa in Ranchi. Nadeem was called up as a backup after Kuldeep complained of shoulder trouble, and he was given his Test cap on the day of the match, marking him India’s 296th Test cricketer.
Rohan Gavaskar
Rohan Gavaskar is the son of the famous Sunil Gavaskar, who is well-known among cricket fans. When India faced Australia in the 2003–04 VB Series, Rohan Gavaskar was selected as a replacement to the injured Mohd. Kaif. His domestic form earned him a call-up to the national team, but with only one 50+ score in 11 games, Rohan Gavaskar’s international career was cut short quickly. He only appeared in 11 One-Day Internationals and struggled as a middle-order batsman. His qualifications never helped him gain a spot in the test team, and his selection in the ODI side also raised some questions.
Parthiv Patel
In 2002, Parthiv Patel was allowed to make his Test debut. As Nayan Mongia’s career came to an end in 2001, India had discovered a solid keeper in Ajay Ratra. Ratra had shown some fine abilities with the bat, scoring 115 against the West Indies in Antigua to become India’s second wicketkeeper to hit a century in a Test outside the nation. Despite being picked for the England trip in 2002, he was injured and was replaced by Parthiv Patel, a 17-year-old who broke the previous record of being the youngest wicketkeeper, formerly held by Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammed (17 years and 300 days).
