5 recent cricketers who were unlucky to not play more Test cricket

Playing Test cricket is a dream that all cricketers have. However, only some lucky ones are able to make the cut.Alongside those who are unable to achieve this dream, there are also few who reach there but are rather unfortunate to not hang on to their place for long.There are numerous tales from all over the cricketing world about how players with enviable first-class records either could not break into Test cricket or had very brief stints. While some fell prey to poor selection policies, others were just unlucky to be playing in an era of great players.Here are some recent cricketers who were unlucky to not play more or any Test cricket.

#5 Yasir Arafat

Yasir Arafat has brilliant first-class figures

FIRST CLASS CAREER:

MAT	WKTS	AVE	BBI	5-WKT
205	787	24.04	9/35	44

In his country of origin, Yasir Arafat remained under the shadow of other Pakistani all-rounders and bowlers and got limited opportunities. As far as Tests are concerned, he played just 3 and managed to pick up 9 wickets before he was dropped in 2009.

However, if you take a look at Arafat’s record in first-class cricket, one can learn exactly what Pakistan cricket missed out on. The Pakistani seamer is one of the most sought-after bowlers in English county cricket and has picked put nearly 800 wickets at a brilliant average of slightly over 24.

Unfortunately, Yasir Arafat was virtually ignored by Pakistan cricket and had to find acceptance in foreign shores.

#4 Graham Onions

Onions never got the opportunities that he should have got in Tests

FIRST CLASS CAREER:

MAT	WKTS	AVE	BBI	5-WKT
143	528	26.31	9/67	24

The presence of stalwarts like James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the England team can be looked at as the only reason why Graham Onions has not played as many Tests as he should have. In the few chances he got, Onions performed decently and picked up 32 wickets in 9 matches.

The medium pacer has been and continues to be one of the best seam bowlers in English county cricket. In 143 first-class matches thus far, Onions has claimed a phenomenal 528 wickets at an impressive average of 26.31 and best bowling figures of 9 for 67.

Graham Onions had the potential to be an English great, but he suffered due to lack of chances.

#3 Subramaniam Badrinath

Badrinath was too good a player to have played just 2 Tests

FIRST CLASS CAREER:

MAT	RUNS	AVE	100s	HS
136	9778	56.19	31	250

One of the top contenders for the ‘Mr Unlucky’ tag among Indian cricketers is Subramaniam Badrinath. Just 2 Tests are not good enough to judge how good or bad a player is to play cricket at the highest level. However, this was exactly the parameter used to judge Badrinath.

The Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman has etched his name among the legends of Indian domestic cricket with almost 10,000 first-class runs at a terrific average of slightly above 56. Badrinath also scored 31 centuries and held a top score of 250 in first-class cricket.

Despite all this, Subramaniam Badrinath was not given enough time or chances to prove himself in the Test arena.

#2 Brad Hodge

Hodge had a pretty decent run in the 6 Tests that he played

FIRST CLASS CAREER:

MAT	RUNS	AVE	100s	HS
223	17084	48.81	51	302*

It is extremely difficult to explain how unfortunate Brad Hodge has been not to have had a longer Test career for Australia. Hodge played 6 Tests for his county between the years 2005 and 2008, scoring 503 runs at an average of nearly 56 and a top score of 203 not out.

That aside, he even had an incredible first-class career which saw him score over 17,000 runs averaging just a little under 50. Hodge also has 51 first-class hundreds to his name and has a triple century which happens to be his highest score- an unbeaten 302.

Brad Hodge will always be remembered as one of the many domestic performers who did not get what they deserved at the highest level.

#1 David Hussey

David Hussey was unable to make it to the Australian Test team

FIRST CLASS CAREER:

MAT	RUNS	AVE	100s	HS
192	14280	52.50	45	275

Despite getting a longish run for Australia in ODI and T20I cricket, David Hussey never got the opportunity to don the whites for his national team. It was largely unfortunate for someone like David, who scored mountains of runs not only in Australian domestic cricket but also in English county cricket.

The younger Hussey’s first-class records speak for themselves as he has scored in excess of 14,000 runs at a 52-plus average with as many as 45 centuries. If that is a record that cannot get you a Test spot, nothing can.

While some of it can be blamed on strange selection policies, it was also sheer bad luck which perhaps prevented David Hussey from breaking into the Australian Test team.