Batsmen who picked just one wicket in more than a hundred Tests

Unlike limited overs cricket, Test cricket is a game for specialists and not bits and pieces players. Every team aims at fielding an eleven that has it’s roles well defined. Every player makes his position in the team based on his expertise in one of the departments- bowling or batting.

Only a genuine all-rounder- one who can contribute both with bat and ball and walks into the team even if he was good at either- is considered fit to play a Test match.

This makes it rare for us to witness batsmen just rolling their arms over like they would do in limited overs cricket unless the captain is in dire need of wickets or lack of efficient bowling resources.

Let us have a look at prolific batsmen who went on to feature in more than a hundred Tests owing to their batting skills- an achievement in itself- but ended their careers with just one wicket against their names.

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Rahul Dravid

Dravid accounted for Ridley Jacobs in 2002

The ultimate team man that he always was, Rahul Dravid never backed off from doing anything that could help the team's cause. From batting at various positions to wicketkeeping, Dravid was one name the country always banked upon.

When, in the 4th Test at Antigua versus the Windies in 2002, Sourav Ganguly called upon his deputy to roll his arm over, Dravid obliged. He broke a 166 run stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs (118) that had lasted for 63 overs as he accounted for the latter, having him caught by VVS Laxman.

In fact, the lifeless wicket at St. John's forced Ganguly to call upon all eleven members of the Indian team to pick opposition wickets as the Windies ended up batting for 248 overs before the match ended in a tame draw.

The most experienced cricketer on this list, Dravid also has to his credit 4 wickets in ODI's.

Sunil Gavaskar

The veteran opening batsman from India featured in 125 tests and created many batting records for the future generations to look up to, the most noteworthy being that of scoring 34 centuries and 10122 runs.

He used his right hand to bowl both medium seam-up as well as off-breaks. His bowling services were availed in 29 innings and he bowled 380 balls across his glittering cricket career.

On India’s 1978-79 tour to Pakistan, ‘Sunny’ was called upon by captain Bishan Singh Bedi to bowl his medium pace bowling.

He was successful in picking up the important wicket of Zaheer Abbas (96) as the batsman, in a bid to reach his century, ended up giving an easy catch to Gavaskar’s opening partner Chetan Chauhan positioned at mid-on.

The Indian batting legend, interestingly, picked only one wicket in his ODI career as well. What makes it even more interesting is that Zaheer Abbas was at the receiving end there too!

Brendon McCullum

McCullum picked up the wicket of Sarfaraz Ahmed in 2014

Brendon McCullum will always be remembered for, firstly, his ability to destroy bowling attacks with sheer confidence and bludgeoning skills. Secondly, he will go down as one of New Zealand's most innovative and successful captains as he led the team emphatically in times of transition.

A thorough crowd entertainer, Baz was an out-and-out aggressive player who represented his country in 101 Tests. In the last one of his 14-year cricket career, the skipper bid adieu in grand fashion as he slammed the fastest Test century in just 54 balls.

Also having kept wickets for a major portion at the beginning of his career, it surely is surprising to see him feature on this list.

In the second Test against Pakistan on their tour to UAE in 2014, the last wicket stand between Sarfaraz Ahmed and Rahat Ali turned out to be the bone in their neck. Captain of the team, McCullum took it upon himself to break the partnership.

And thus after adding 81 runs and facing 28 overs for the last wicket stand, Ahmed (112) fell to McCullum, who caught him off his own bowling to account for his only Test scalp.

David Gower

David Gower picked up the wicket of Kapil Dev in 1982

Charismatic English batsman and former captain, David Gower represented his country in 117 Test matches and amassed 8231 runs.

Gower was known for his lazy elegance- reason enough for him not to bowl. In all, he bowled just 36 balls in an illustrious career that spanned 15 years.

On their tour to India in 1982, England captain Keith Fletcher deployed every possible trick to enforce a result in the final match at Kanpur.

In the process, Gower ended up picking up his only Test wicket, that of ace all-rounder Kapil Dev, caught by Graham Dilley for a whirlwind 116. The only over Gower bowled turned out to be the last one of the match that ended in a draw.

Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor accounted for Rashid Latif in 1994

An assuring opener, a classical batsman, a dependable slip fielder and a successful captain, Mark Taylor remains one of Australian cricket's brightest jewels. Having scored 7525 runs across a 104 Test career and pouched a then world record 157 catches, there never was a need for him to bowl to prove his credentials as an all-rounder.

Though he did roll his arm over twice in his career. In the second Test at Rawalpindi versus Pakistan in 1994, he invited Pakistan to follow on in the second innings only to see his team stay on the park for another 152 overs.

In a desperate attempt to pick wickets, Taylor, who was leading Australia, used every member of his team to affect a dismissal before finally taking the ball. The only player who did not bowl in that innings was wicketkeeper Ian Healy.

His right arm medium pace bowling did prove effective as he managed to get Rashid Latif caught by Michael Bevan.

Mark Boucher

Boucher dismissed Dwayne Bravo in 2005

Mark Boucher is one of the greatest wicketkeepers to have graced the game. Highly underrated as a cricketer, Boucher was an integral member of the South African team that rose to the pinnacle, across his 15-year long career that spanned between 1997 and 2012.

In what is a statistician's delight, Boucher ended his career with 1000 dismissals, as he affected 999 of them, courtesy of his glove work behind the stumps and picked up a solitary Test wicket.

In the 4th Test against Windies at St. John's, Antigua in 2005, South Africa declared their first innings at 588-7. Taking advantage of the placid pitch, the Windies batted for 235 overs as they piled up 747 runs on the board.

Chris Gayle was the wrecker in chief as he ended with a Man of the Match winning 317 to his name. In a bid to get the opposition all out, Proteas' skipper Graeme Smith used all his team members as all 11 South Africans ended up bowling at least one over.

Boucher, bowling his second over, managed to pick the last Windies wicket, that of Dwayne Bravo (107), putting an end to his team's torturous stay on the field.

Ian Bell

Ian Bell featured in 118 Test matches for England between 2004 and 2015 and scored 7727 runs at an average of 42.69. Unlike some of the other players on this list, Bell was not alien to bowling as he did bowl 18 overs across his Test career.

In the Faisalabad Test against Pakistan in 2005, he was called upon by captain Michael Vaughan to break a flourishing partnership between Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq and the medium pacer did just the same.

He took a great reflex catch to dismiss Yousuf off his own bowling to give the much-needed breakthrough, but that was his only Test wicket.

He though, did bowl 6 times in ODI's, the first of which was in his 4th ODI appearance for England. He returned with career-best figures of 3/9 in 3.4 overs, perhaps his best ever international bowling performance.

Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook, who holds the English record for most Test runs, has had an illustrious career that is in its twilight phase.

He has come a long way since his debut century against India in 2006 and after 154 Tests, he has amassed more than 12000 Test runs and scored 32 centuries.

Laying a solid platform for the team and marshalling his troops were all that was expected off Cook as he bowled just twice in his entire Test career. The second of those occasions came against India in 2014 at Nottingham.

With the match headed towards a draw, Cook casually took the ball in hand to bowl what would be the final over of the fifth and final day.

After a small run up, he delivered a ball that was angled down the leg side. Ishant Sharma who was facing tried flicking it, only to get a feather. Wicketkeeper Matt Prior just stuck his hand out and pouched the catch, leaving Cook to celebrate as though he had won England the match.

It seems highly unlikely that Cook will ever again roll his arm over as he nears the end to what would be recalled as a glittering career.

Desmond Haynes

Desmond Haynes dismissed Sarfaraz Nawaz in 1980

Haynes was a well-rounded right-handed opening batsmen who helped the Windies clinch many victories home and abroad.

His batting solidarity consisted of both attacking and supporting instincts. He featured in 116 Tests for the Windies and bowled just 3 overs in all.

It was in the Lahore Test of the Windies’ 1980 tour to Pakistan when captain Clive Lloyd called upon Haynes to bowl medium pace.

In the only over he bowled, the Barbados born cricketer snapped up the wicket of Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz, safely pouched by the bucket-like hands of Joel Garner.