Cricketers who started their careers brilliantly but faded away too early

[msb314]

Rana Naved also comes to mind.

Had a fantastic tour of India in 2005 and was one of the key reasons why we won the ODI series 4-2.

Sadly it didn't quite work out for him. Being associated with that Sydney Test and getting banned by the PCB for a year obviously didn't help matters.

 

[msb314]

From what I've heard and read, he was pretty much an idiot and cricket took a back seat for him only after a few years in international cricket.

Robin Uthappa was another one who could have made it big.

Looked very promising during the inaugural World T20 back in 2007. Sadly - his career just drifted away.

 

[MMHS]

Lots of good names here. One more comes to mind for a bit olden days is Bob Massie - guy started Test career with 16 wickets, then lost his place in WA team within 18 months, never could make a come back even for FC team; ended up playing last FC game at 27.

My personal choice (apart from Appertained South Africans for obvious reason) is Gary Gilmore. Guy was an absolute legend in making - could have competed with 4 great all-rounders of 80s easily. Bad habits got into his life probably from teen age and by the time he was 23-24, already over weight, unfit, struggling for breather, and an extremely lazy attitude towards fitness - he retired at 26 from Test cricket to join Kerry Packer and never could make a come back; played last ODI in 1975, at 24. His last 2 WC games were SF & Final, it reads 12-6-14-6 and 12-2-48-5. That SF bowling was matched by a match winning innings of 28* (28), in a game 16 wicket had fallen for 187 runs and he carried AUS to 94/6 from 39/6.

Wonderful left-arm FM swing bowler and an excellent late order batsman, whose career was distorted for his life style, hence ended up with better Test bowling stats (as he retired at 26) than FC career. A man mountain at 6'3"+ with matching width, guy was a fantastic slip fielder as well - truly an extraordinary talent in all 3 facets of the game. His life style didn't spare him in his later years and guy passed away at 62 suffering from all sorts of health troubles.

Wonderful cricketer, one of my all time favorites, who never lived up to the immense potential and early sparks (which still was hampered by his unruly life style).

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/5396.html

 

[MMHS]

I should add that Gilmour was good at Rugby and great at Baseball - got an offer from Washington State University. He was a superstar in making by the age of 18/19 and made that AUS team under ChappellI at 21. Wisden had a nice obituary in respect to the guy.

His career probably was summed up perfectly by Ian himself (Who else can do better) - "Gilmour was at the front of the queue when they handed out talent, and hiding behind the door when luck was being handed out". But, GG himself didn't help his luck either.

 

[Spectrum]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION]
Gilmour's story is sad indeed.

 

[Spectrum]

Pakistani Mukhtar Ahmad would be a great addition to this list.

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Babar azam?

ab boliye

 

[drubwrubnat]

A little known but unique batting talent who faded away
Michael De Venuto 1997-1997

 

[shah_1]

Recent examples

Umar Akmal
Ahmed Shehzad

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Recent examples

Umar Akmal
Ahmed Shehzad

Kuldeep Yadav

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Kuldeep YAdav faded too early..
Rishab Pant to follow if he didn't improve his technique..

 

[Sarwar89]

Mark Ramprakash
Robert Key
Vinod Kambli
Saleem Elahi
Corey Anderson
James Faulkner
Sohaib Maqsood
Umar Akmal
Ajenta Mendis
Veletta (87 wc hero)
Hansie Cronje
Mohammad Zahid
Ricardo Powell
Mansoor Akhtar
Zahid Fazal
Wasim Haider
Atta ur Rehman
Hasan Raza
Shaun Tait
Stuart Clarke

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Mark Ramprakash
Robert Key
Vinod Kambli
Saleem Elahi
Corey Anderson
James Faulkner
Sohaib Maqsood
Umar Akmal
Ajenta Mendis
Veletta (87 wc hero)
Hansie Cronje
Mohammad Zahid
Ricardo Powell
Mansoor Akhtar
Zahid Fazal
Wasim Haider
Atta ur Rehman
Hasan Raza
Shaun Tait
Stuart Clarke

Stuart Clarke???

 

[Azzurri]

Nasir Jamshed

 

[TheSultan]

Mohammed Sami

Great start, had a couple of bad series, and then his career just fell off a cliff

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

1.Kusal Mendis
Played ATG inings vs Australia but seems like his career is over now.

2.Steven Finn
Loved watching him smashing stumps by his legs.

3.James Faulkner
Was ODI ATG in making. Sadly nowhere near the team now.

4.Kuldeep Yadav
Was picking wickets at will. One bad IPL match changed his career forever

5.Darren Bravo
Early compared with Lara but exposed too soon.

 

[DRsohail]

Yasir Hameed.

 

[Ab Fan]

Kuldeep Yadav.

 

[msb314]

Mohammed Sami

Great start, had a couple of bad series, and then his career just fell off a cliff

He made his debut back in 2001 and last time he played was the 2016 World T20. Not bad lasting 15 years…

 

[ExpressPacer]

That Indian guy who hit a triple century in his second or third game and then then never played again.

 

[Lahorijat]

Dinesh Chandimal

 

[street cricketer]

Ajantha Mendis is the name that immediately pops up in my mind.

 

[cric_4life]

Azhar Mehmood
Mohammed Wasim
Wasim Jaffer
Debashish Mohanty
can be added as well.

 

[PakLFC]

Jessie Ryder of NZ who seemed to be a future great. Shekhar Dhawan also let me down as did Anwar Ali Khan as well as Hammad Azam. Expected much better from Usman Khawaja too who seems to have faded away.

 

[globalcitizen]

I would first want to know what is criteria for saying player faded away. Because there are some ridiculous suggestions like zaheer khan and shikar dhawan..

 

[ExpressPacer]

Jessie Ryder of NZ who seemed to be a future great. Shekhar Dhawan also let me down as did Anwar Ali Khan as well as Hammad Azam. Expected much better from Usman Khawaja too who seems to have faded away.

Dhawan has a spectacular record though.

 

[PakLFC]

Dhawan has a spectacular record though.

All the more reason as to why he disappeared. I think he has recently undergone a divorce that could have effected his career.

 

[drubwrubnat]

This could happen the most with Pakistani pacers

All the rejects of Pakistan bowling will be kings in Indian squad.
Junaid, Shabbir Ahmed, Hasnain, Dhani, Aaquib Javed, Rana N, Mohd Irfan etc etc.

 

[ExpressPacer]

All the more reason as to why he disappeared. I think he has recently undergone a divorce that could have effected his career.

He has played in 2021 bro. I think the Indian team went with some younger players over him for the WC despite him being in form. This is shocking because he is a proven player in tournaments.

 

[sam_ahm]

Other than some very valid names already mentioned here by you guys I will add a few more :

Franklyn Rose and Jermaine Lawson, the two very promising West Indian fast bowlers in late 90s and early 00s.

James Franklyn and Jesse Ryder from NZL

RP Singh from India

Mfuneko Ngam from South Africa perhaps.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

A little known but unique batting talent who faded away
Michael De Venuto 1997-1997

He's a County legend in England alongside likes of Ten Dosechate.

 

[street cricketer]

He's a County legend in England alongside likes of Ten Dosechate.

I think he was in the Australian coaching team a few years back.

 

[Babeikh]

From Pakistan had very high hoped for Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad - both of whom faded into nothingness.

From a while ago Basit Ali is another one who had tremendous talent and unbelievable potential. People were even comparing him to Miandad. I was there when he tonked Windies bowlers to all corners of Sharjah and scored 130 odd. Phenomenal innings. Never lived up to his potential.

I also remember a bowler from the mid 90s - Aamer Nazir who burst onto the scene in the Windies tour of 93 or 94. Should have had a hat trick but for incompetent umpire chickening out of giving Gus Logie when he was PLUMB. Completely faded.

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Other than some very valid names already mentioned here by you guys I will add a few more :

Franklyn Rose and Jermaine Lawson, the two very promising West Indian fast bowlers in late 90s and early 00s.

James Franklyn and Jesse Ryder from NZL

RP Singh from India

Mfuneko Ngam from South Africa perhaps.

What a scary fast bowler Jermaine Lawson was..
Don't know what happen to him despite promising career start..

 

[sweep_shot]

South Africa's Colin Ingram comes to mind. He started off with a bang but simply faded away.

 

[Ami]

A few players who I wish had faded away quicker but never did...

Imran Farhat
Faisal Iqbal
Yasir Hameed
Hasan Raza
Taufiq Umar (to an extent)

 

[Amir]

This seems like a fun thread. I don't agree with Imran Nazir fading - we kept bringing him back into the team, even when he did not deserve it and was over-rated based on a few innings. I think faded someone who started well and looked on path to a long career but then just did not pan out.

RP Singh - what happened to this guy? I remember in that 2006 tour and even the WC, he was a gun bowler. Had a good inswinger. Indians respond.

Faulkner - after the drinking, he just went away. Former WC winner - his career just came to a abrupted halt.

Chandimal and Ajantha - both did so well initially and now nowhere. I get it, Ajantha not as much a mystery but he shouldn't have been so neutralized. Narine forged a career. Ashwin is a great example of a bowler who uses variation (when not turning) to contain batsmen.

Bazid Khan - commentator now but for years killed on domestic scene. Was given 3 ODIs vs West Indies - I think scored 2 50s and never picked again. Maybe not a long career but he should have got a test chance, not a ODI bat though he did well.

Ricardo Powell - maybe falls in the Imran Nazir camp but I always fondly remember his opening knock vs South Africa in the 2003 WC.

 

[OmarKhan99]

1.Kusal Mendis
Played ATG inings vs Australia but seems like his career is over now.

2.Steven Finn
Loved watching him smashing stumps by his legs.

3.James Faulkner
Was ODI ATG in making. Sadly nowhere near the team now.

4.Kuldeep Yadav
Was picking wickets at will. One bad IPL match changed his career forever

5.Darren Bravo
Early compared with Lara but exposed too soon.

Great additions to the list.

Steven Finn and James Faulkner are both particularly sad cases. Injuries in sports can be so brutal.

Kusal Mendis and Kuldeep Yadav are still quite young, and have plenty of time to comeback and reclaim their status in the team. I still don't quite understand how Kuldeep Yadav doesn't play more often for India and I don't understand how in the world did he even get dropped. Chahal was excellent, but Kuldeep just looked a cut above the rest of the spinners that India had at their disposal in LOIs. Should've persisted with him. He's an exceptional talent, who is currently in need of a boost of confidence.

 

[street cricketer]

Great additions to the list.

Steven Finn and James Faulkner are both particularly sad cases. Injuries in sports can be so brutal.

Kusal Mendis and Kuldeep Yadav are still quite young, and have plenty of time to comeback and reclaim their status in the team. I still don't quite understand how Kuldeep Yadav doesn't play more often for India and I don't understand how in the world did he even get dropped. Chahal was excellent, but Kuldeep just looked a cut above the rest of the spinners that India had at their disposal in LOIs. Should've persisted with him. He's an exceptional talent, who is currently in need of a boost of confidence.

Kuldeep is more of a confidence bowler, if he's full of confidence, he can bowl like art, but if he's short of confidence, he can be pretty dire.

Also his bowling speed is too slow to be successful in LOIs. He must be the slowest spinner on average speed in world cricket. He relies more on dip, drift and trajectory with subtle variations, but because he's too slow, batsmen manage him well. It's not his fault, he's a spinner from the spinner mould of the 80s, he would have been a very successful tweaker in the yesteryears. But cricket has changed, and you have to be able to bowl very fast, flat with variations to be successful in LOIs like Rashid Khan. He was just born in the wrong era.

 

[PakLFC]

He has played in 2021 bro. I think the Indian team went with some younger players over him for the WC despite him being in form. This is shocking because he is a proven player in tournaments.

Perhaps he did not have a wealthy Dad or Uncle behind him!

 

[Cric1234]

Hafeez and Malik both started of with a bang with double hundreds against Australia unfortunately they couldn’t replicate their success in future encounters they are now eagerly awaiting to put that right tomorrow.

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Hafeez and Malik both started of with a bang with double hundreds against Australia unfortunately they couldn’t replicate their success in future encounters they are now eagerly awaiting to put that right tomorrow.

Really?? I can't recall any double hundreds by them against asutralia.

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Great additions to the list.

Steven Finn and James Faulkner are both particularly sad cases. Injuries in sports can be so brutal.

Kusal Mendis and Kuldeep Yadav are still quite young, and have plenty of time to comeback and reclaim their status in the team. I still don't quite understand how Kuldeep Yadav doesn't play more often for India and I don't understand how in the world did he even get dropped. Chahal was excellent, but Kuldeep just looked a cut above the rest of the spinners that India had at their disposal in LOIs. Should've persisted with him. He's an exceptional talent, who is currently in need of a boost of confidence.

Thank you

 

[Usergame]

Matthew Sinclair.

 

[cric_man]

Azhar Mehmood.

The guy started his test career and looked an ATG just after four tests. Looked the complete package. Could bowl 80 mph, batted with no worry and was safe as a house in the field.

His test demise should be a case study in cricketing circles.

His 2 centuries against SA one in Pakistan, other in SA in those 4 tests was remarkable. He then didn't even score a fifty afterwards

 

[cric_man]

Surprised nobody remembers Mohammad Zahid. Tearaway fast bowler (even faster than Shoaib).
He had the most fluid run up and delivery. 11 wickets on debut test against NZL in 1996. He made Lara dance in 96/97 CU trophy in Australia.
Unfortunately suffered from a stress fracture and then just faded away afterwards

 

[cric_man]

His 2 centuries against SA one in Pakistan, other in SA in those 4 tests was remarkable. He then didn't even score a fifty afterwards

Make that 3 centuries in 4 test and then nothing...

 

[street cricketer]

James Pattinson is the perfect example for this thread.

I think even Dougie Bollinger had a good start to his career.

 

[OmarKhan99]

Kuldeep is more of a confidence bowler, if he's full of confidence, he can bowl like art, but if he's short of confidence, he can be pretty dire.

Also his bowling speed is too slow to be successful in LOIs. He must be the slowest spinner on average speed in world cricket. He relies more on dip, drift and trajectory with subtle variations, but because he's too slow, batsmen manage him well. It's not his fault, he's a spinner from the spinner mould of the 80s, he would have been a very successful tweaker in the yesteryears. But cricket has changed, and you have to be able to bowl very fast, flat with variations to be successful in LOIs like Rashid Khan. He was just born in the wrong era.

I agree with the confidence bit. It's not just Kuldeep either. Yasir Shah, Tabraiz Shamsi, Usman Qadir, Adam Zampa, Adil Rashid (earlier on), etc. all seem to be quite temperamental bowlers. That's why Morgan's way of giving Adil Rashid undeterred confidence allowed Adil to go into full attack mode. That has been paying massive dividends recently. It's important to the inspire confidence in your leg spinner, as they can win you games through just one inspired spell.

I think leg spin is such a varied and encompassing art, that there is no single mould (pace, action, etc.) that needs to be replicated to be successful in LOIs or Tests. It affords lots of diversity. Adil Rashid and Wanindu Hasaranga are not particularly quick and flat either (I know the latter is still relatively new, but quite promising signs).

Kuldeep not only looks like a special bowler but has the LOI stats to back it as well. Yes, adding quicker variations will enhance his armoury, however, as you've said, the most imperative thing he needs atm is confidence. I doubt he'll be feeling confident after being dropped for bowlers like Varun and Chahar (both of them seem impressive, but just not as good as Kuldeep seems to me).

Also, a side note, Rashid can afford to bowl at that high pace because he is more of a finger-spinner rather than wrist-spinner (he explains this himself on a Sky Cricket Interview with Nasser Hussain and Shane Warne). It would be very difficult to impart sufficient revs on a ball for it to turn at 90-odd KPH just using the wrists like leg spinners.

 

[Golden arm]

Yesterday i was watching highlights of CB series 2008. Pravin Kumar and Ishant Sharma were superb finds of that tour. Ishant manage to play many tests (failed career though) but Pravin Kumar (who bowled like Mcgrath that series) faded away too early despite promising start.
Presenting you list of cricketers who had great start to their international career but failed to make any further improvements.

Pravin Kumar
Nasir Jamshed
Umar Akmal
Robin Uthappa
Narendra Hirwani
Hamish Rutherford

Raza Hasan left arm spinner

 

[sajsultan]

He was an over-achiever. He wasn't exactly a great batsman to begin with.

if you really want to know.. it was great divine power above.. think about how the famed indian batting line up folded at 110.. less then a run a ball.. If you were told at the beginning of the match, that India plays all 20 overs and KL Rahul, Rishabd Pant and Hardik Pandya would play the lions share of the balls, you would be celebrating and thinking 200+ for sure.. but going into the 20th over and still with less then three figures on the scoreboard.. you have to realize something divine must have been at work.. India treats their cricketers like a Deity.. so not too surprised.

 

[Abid Z]

Jessie Ryder of NZ who seemed to be a future great. Shekhar Dhawan also let me down as did Anwar Ali Khan as well as Hammad Azam. Expected much better from Usman Khawaja too who seems to have faded away.

Jessie Ryder had drink problems and a bad attitude (plus fitness I guess). Just goes to show capability to hit the ball hard is no guarantee of longevity. Attitude matters.

 

[Abid Z]

James Pattinson is the perfect example for this thread.

I think even Dougie Bollinger had a good start to his career.

Couldn’t agree more. At one stage the three of starc, Cummins and pattinson looked like a seriously formidable attack. But I think they were perennially injured in the early part of their careers also.

 

[Abid Z]

Stuart Clarke???

Really Stuart Clarke was a fabulous bowler who looked like would easily take up the mantle after McGrath retired. I think he was discarded too soon and then Australia had the inexplicable preference for guys like Siddle and Harris.

 

[Abid Z]

Raza Hasan left arm spinner

Got banned for drug use. Wasn’t discarding but rather self destruction. Very common in international sports people.

 

[Abid Z]

This seems like a fun thread. I don't agree with Imran Nazir fading - we kept bringing him back into the team, even when he did not deserve it and was over-rated based on a few innings. I think faded someone who started well and looked on path to a long career but then just did not pan out.

RP Singh - what happened to this guy? I remember in that 2006 tour and even the WC, he was a gun bowler. Had a good inswinger. Indians respond.

Faulkner - after the drinking, he just went away. Former WC winner - his career just came to a abrupted halt.

Chandimal and Ajantha - both did so well initially and now nowhere. I get it, Ajantha not as much a mystery but he shouldn't have been so neutralized. Narine forged a career. Ashwin is a great example of a bowler who uses variation (when not turning) to contain batsmen.

Bazid Khan - commentator now but for years killed on domestic scene. Was given 3 ODIs vs West Indies - I think scored 2 50s and never picked again. Maybe not a long career but he should have got a test chance, not a ODI bat though he did well.

Ricardo Powell - maybe falls in the Imran Nazir camp but I always fondly remember his opening knock vs South Africa in the 2003 WC.

Good post and some good points. Imran nazir was given so many chances but self destructed when he joined the ICL. Were it not for the Mumbai attacks and if he had as well in the second final maybe his career would have been different. But I read he had really bad arthritis.

RP Singh was total class. I don’t know why he was discarded so soon.

Ajantha was rightly dropped as Pakistan took a particular liking to him and as we played so much with SL it was obvious he wouldn’t be picked. There’s only so many times you can succeed against West Indies. Chandimal would still be playing if he was a Pakistani.

Bazid I’m sure could have been tried for longer but I think we threw him into some difficult tours against Australia and New Zealand too early.

I think wasti could have done more after 1999.

 

[Majid Khan]

Asim Kamal - anyone remember him? In an era where new Pakistani batsmen struggled with pressure , this guy looked like he had nerves of steel and real mental toughness. He looks gutsy every time he batted , but for some reason he did not get the kind of backing that others like Hafeez, Asad Shafique or Azhar Ali did.

Fawad Alam and Asim Kamal in the middle order over Asad Shafique and Azhar Ali would have made Pakistan a stronger test team in 2010s.

 

[Kohli The King of Chase]

Nasir Jamshed

 

[Unbiased-Fan]

Asim Kamal - anyone remember him? In an era where new Pakistani batsmen struggled with pressure , this guy looked like he had nerves of steel and real mental toughness. He looks gutsy every time he batted , but for some reason he did not get the kind of backing that others like Hafeez, Asad Shafique or Azhar Ali did.

Fawad Alam and Asim Kamal in the middle order over Asad Shafique and Azhar Ali would have made Pakistan a stronger test team in 2010s.

I remember him. He was a solid left hander.
Once he got out on 99 and never scored century in his career.

 

[PakLFC]

Jessie Ryder had drink problems and a bad attitude (plus fitness I guess). Just goes to show capability to hit the ball hard is no guarantee of longevity. Attitude matters.

That is why he faded away as peer the title of this thread. He had the talent but not the discipline required to become a great player.

 

[JaDed]

Nasir Jamshed

He takes the cake, PCT surprisingly has many like that.

UA being another one, Hassan is going down that path.

India:
Kambli
Robin Uthappa
yousuf Pathan

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Hasan Ali in white ball cricket is fast going down this route.

 

[James]

Steven Finn. An incredibly gifted and genuinely fast bowler. He could have taken 400 Test wickets, but the poor guy was grossly overcoached and chronically mismanaged.

 

[NishanKonar]

Irfan Pathan

ICC Newcomer of the Year in 2004 and vanished after that - save for a hat trick against Pakistan in 2006 and 2007 T20 final MOTM

 

[PakLFC]

Harris Sohail seemed to be a good prospect. He has been injured for the last ten years.