Five Afghan greats who could not play their country's first test match

In spite of how it eventually turned out, Afghanistan's test debut will be a moment to remember not just in the cricketing chronology, but in the nation's history as well. In Test cricket, sides aren't often dealt with, with sympathy but an exception can be made for test cricket's newest entrants, Afghanistan. For a session and a half in the second phase of their bowling, it felt like they had found their ground, but then their batting crumbled twice in a single day to hand India their quickest ever win and also their biggest victory margin in Test cricket.

Nevertheless, with more cricket against the upper tier sides and perhaps a few tours of those countries contesting matches against the A-sides, as suggested by Afghanistan's coach Phil Simmons, they will surely get better and will look more adjusted to the format of the game with time.

Having gotten the monkey of debuting off their backs, they can optimistically look at future, and in what is still the highest peak of their cricketing journey so far, it is also important to look at the past. In the last decade and a half, a lot of cricketers have helped them get to where they are, but many of those greats could not be a part of the historic test at the Chinaswamy, here are five of those.

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#5 Nawroz Mangal

Papua New Guinea v Afghanistan - ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015 Play-Off 3

The man who symbolized the grit Afghanistan would go on to be a personification of, Mangal was a presence in the Afghan batting order for the better part of eight years and was an important figure in their meteoric rise. Taking over the captaincy in 2007, in just two years he made his country the first affiliate member to attain ODI status.

Leadership roles were then on and off for Mangal, as he turned into a reliable figure batting Afghanistan out of situations where the more flashy and rather belligerent players of the side floundered. He was a part of the sides that made history by participating in the ICC World T20 and the ICC World Cup. Unfortunately, though, he was past his prime and his cricket career a dormant chapter when Afghanistan played their first test, his respectable first-class average of 37.81 testifies to the fact that he would have been an actual valuable addition, not just picked out of sheer nostalgia.

#4 Karim Sadiq

ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier - Afghanistan v Nepal

Afghanistan's own Tilakratne Dilshan, Karim Sadiq was of similar utility to his side as Dilshan. Be it enterprising batting to get his team off flyers, stand a stoic guard behind the stumps or unraveling handy off-spin to get the wickets when not much happened off the pitch, Sadiq did it all day in and day out for years. Having done the hard yards of associate cricket, Sadiq was unlucky to miss out on a World Cup spot, but still remained an integral part of the limited overs set-up.

With already two wicket-keepers and spin bowling all-rounders in the squad, Karim Sadiq was overlooked for the greatest to date assignment undertaken by the Afghans. He averages 37.73 with three centuries and has 34 wickets with a six-for in 24 first-class matches. He might not have made a difference in the inevitable outcome of the test, but his inclusion would have a been a good acknowledgment of his contribution to Afghan cricket.

#3 Samiullah Shenwari

Afghanistan v Scotland - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

Shenwari will go down in Afghan folklore as the hero of their glorious maiden World Cup triumph, chasing 210 with the team at one stage 7/97, Shenwari staged a majestic comeback all on his own as he weathered the pressure of the on-fire duo of Ali Evans and Josh Davey. A patient 96(147) ensured that he almost got Afghanistan over the line but got dismissed 14 agonizing runs short of the target, however, the job was eventually done and Shenwari hailed as the major orchestrator.

His temperament and penchant to keep his nerves in check in the face of the big occasions should have mandated his inclusion into the side, but with a settled middle order having better first-class cricket track from their I-Cup days meant that Shenwari could not find a place in the side and had to settle for his exploits of the past.

#2 Dawlat Zadran

Ireland v Afghanistan - ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier

One of their best talents in the pace department, Dawlat is a rare species in his country with his consistent knack to produce peach deliveries north of 140 km/h swinging both the ways. His whippy action, yet somewhat curving in trajectory, is reminiscent of Waqar Younis and often Zadran replicates him in ways more than just releasing the ball. In the World Cup Qualifiers, he turned up to the show with inspiring performances with both the bat and the ball, which made his appearance for the test side a very anticipated one.

An untimely knee injury ruled him out of the contest but had he played, he might have been able to make a mark in tests after being a proven white-ball performer. In 11 first-class games, he has a whopping 47 wickets, at an average under 20 and a strike rate hovering around 35, to put that into a frame of reference, these numbers are marginally better than Dale Steyn's first-class stats.

Yeah, look it up.

#1 Shapoor Zadran

I am angry every time I bowl. A bowler has to be angry, so that his reaction can carry over to the batsmen, who get unsettled and end up making a mistake.

-Shapoor Zadran, intimidator, grumpy fast bowler, Afghan cricketer

Afghanistan v Scotland - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

A run-up longer than Shaun Tait, charismatic like Shane Bond and the no-nonsense attitude of Shoaib Akhtar, Shapoor became a cult hero in the 2015 World Cup down under when he captivated the fans with his searing left-arm pace, and coming down from a tall frame, his bowling extracted more bounce than his counterparts.

While an incredibly reliable bowler in the limited over formats, Shapoor's first class record does not inspire much confidence and might be the reason for his non-inclusion in the squad for the historic debut test. Just 16 wickets from 8 matches averaging more than 40 did not help his case at all, but sometimes it is the presence of the bowlers with the X-factor that win you test matches. That Shapoor oozes in plenty.

And the flowing mane! The trademark accessory of a flamboyant fast bowler.