5 Indian cricketers who failed in Tests despite success in other formats

Team India has seen some skilled and classy players dominate across formats over the years, with the exception of a few renowned names. While these players tasted enormous success in the ODI and T20 formats (including the IPL), they failed to make a mark in one of the oldest and toughest formats in the game.

Slam-bang cricket might have enveloped cricket-playing nations across the world. However, Tests have still managed to stay as the gold standard that would test the abilities — both physical and mental.

While some of India's limited-overs specialists have fared well in the two formats, they have unfortunately failed to make a mark in Tests. We look at five such decorated players who haven't had the greatest of times playing with the red cherry.

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#1 Yuvraj Singh

Despite all the swashbuckling batting, electric fielding, and being a reliable arm that helped India win games with the ball, Yuvraj Singh's Test career never quite took off.

While he notched up 8701 runs in ODIs and 1177 runs in T20Is from 304 and 58 matches, respectively, Yuvraj could only manage 1900 runs from 40 Tests at an average of 33.92. He had only three centuries and 11 half-centuries to show for it.

He didn't have much success with the ball either, picking up nine wickets in all of the Tests he played for India. His last outing in whites was in 2012 in Kolkata.

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#2 Suresh Raina

Another southpaw who took the same route as Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina was a bonafide match-winner for India in limited formats. He played 226 ODIs for India, stacking up 5615 runs and also had a decent run in T20Is, with 1605 runs from 78 games.

Raina was among the wickets as well with 36 and 13 in ODIs and T20Is, respectively. Despite hard-hitting abilities, Raina did little when he played Test cricket. He could muster only 768 runs from 18 matches and last played a Test in 2015.

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#3 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik might have resurrected his career after a run-filled IPL 2022 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However, he was one of the wicket-keeper batters who was expected to have a solid Test career.

In the 26 Tests he played, Karthik managed just 1025 runs with a century and seven 50s to show for it. He eventually made way for the other glovemen before MS Dhoni made the slot on his own for the next few years.

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#4 Varun Aaron

Breakneck pace was one of the biggest skillsets that Varun Aaron brought to the side and was tipped to be a success story in Test cricket. The seamer featured in nine Tests, taking 18 wickets before he was bogged down by injuries and inconsistency that eventually put him out of the reckoning.

Aaron last played a Test in 2015 against South Africa and had just one wicket to show for it. However, the premium quick has seen considerable success in the IPL with 44 wickets from 52 matches.

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#5 Ashish Nehra

When Ashish Nehra steamrolled England with his 6/23 performance in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, there were expectations for him to do well in the most grueling format. A string of injuries meant he had to be content playing the limited formats.

Nehra picked up 44 wickets from the 17 Tests he played for India between 1999 and 2004. His last Test was against Pakistan at Rawalpindi, which India won by an innings and 131 runs, with the pacer picking up three wickets from two innings.