Age is not just a number in sports, and there is no one who knows it better than the athletes themselves. It’s a profession where a player is expected to start early and retire within a couple of decades, and it is during the intervening period that one needs to make a mark for which the athlete will be remembered forever.
But, everyone is not equally lucky to get a chance to bloom early. There are players who have spent their entire youth in domestic cricket, and for whom a shot at international cricket happened quite late.
That, however, didn’t stop these cricketers from giving their best. Let’s take a look at 5 such late debutantes who reached milestones, created history, left a mark and gave us plenty of memories that will be cherished forever.
#5 Adam Voges
Adam Voges, the Australian attacking batsman had to wait a long time for his international career but grabbed the limited opportunity he was given to show off his talent. At the age of 28, he started playing ODI and T20 cricket for the country, albeit irregularly.
It was only by 35 that he became the oldest man in the Test history to score a century on debut, with the unbeaten 130 against West Indies. This extraordinary performance made him a part of Australia's starting XI, on a regular basis.
He went a long way, from a brilliant debut to gaining a position where he was the best possible choice to be the vice-captain of the Australian Test side for the Test tour of Bangladesh in 2015. He was made the vice-captain of the team in the absence of the injured David Warner.
#4 Saeed Ajmal
The off-spinner of Pakistan, Saeed Ajmal made a relatively late entry into the international cricket. He played his first Test match at the age of 32 but with his powerful form, he kept stealing the show and is regarded as one of the best spinners today. Ajmal kept on proving his calibre by showing his control over all the variations like the doosra, off-spinning as well as changes in flight and speed.
It is an absolute pleasure to watch the Pakistan bowler bowling the doosra and off-spin from the same line. Picking up his variations become really difficult for the batsman leading to tough situations for the opposition as Ajmal is on the other end giving his best.
He would absolutely rip the opponent apart with his unreadable variations, making him the most feared spinners of his time.
#3 Michael Hussey
A player, who himself earned the title of “Mr Cricket” doesn’t really need an introduction. As a spectator it is absolutely mesmerising to watch his consistency, be it in the ODIs or Test matches. He is one of the late bloomers who waited for almost a decade for entry into the international cricket. At the age of 28, he made his debut in ODIs and at 30 for the Test matches.
Only after two years in Test cricket, his average moved up to 86.18. He became the fastest player to achieve 1,000 Test runs in just 164 days and bagged the ICC ODI player of the year award in 2006. He proved that he has mastered all formats flawlessly in the T20 World Cup 2010 semi-final, as he made those not so easy 60 runs in 24 balls.
Hussey also played an important role in the Chennai Super Kings franchise, winning the 2010 and 2011 IPL trophies. He knew the sky was the limit for him and and a late entry into international cricket never stopped him from achieving what he deserved.
#2 Basil D'Oliveira
Basil D'Oliveira is a legend one just cannot forget. His phenomenal talent for cricket was neglected in South Africa which was his birthplace. Due to the apartheid laws of the country, he was not allowed to play first-class cricket. It was later with the help of commentator John Arlott and journalist John Kay Dolly he moved to England, in 1960.
Though his international debut was at the age of 34, it didn’t stop him from being one of the best from his time. D’Oliveira went on to score 2,484 runs and took 47 wickets with his right-arm medium-pace bowling for the England team. As he showed off his skills the only one regret that the cricket lovers must have had, is only if the talent got its recognition at the age of 19 rather than 35.
The Chief executive of South Africa Gerald Majola had earlier said, “He was a man of true dignity and a wonderful role model as somebody who overcame the most extreme prejudices and circumstances to take his rightful place on the world stage.”
#1 Enamul Haque
The left-arm spinner Enamul Haque made his test debut at the age of 35. In spite of getting an international break so late, he was around for almost a decade playing 10 Tests and 29 ODIs. It was just his lack of variation in bowling which ended his career in 2003 but his contribution to Bangladesh cricket during 1990s period will be remembered forever.
His love for the sport didn't allow him to stay away from the field for a long time. He took up umpiring by 2006 and stood in his first ODI as an umpire in Bogra. In 2012, he debuted as an umpire in a Test match which was New Zealand vs. Zimbabwe. With that, he became the first to stand as a neutral umpire from Bangladesh.
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