4 Indian Test specialists who failed to make a mark in ODIs 

Cheteshwar Pujara played five ODIs for India; however, his strike-rate let him down then
Cheteshwar Pujara played five ODIs for India; however, his strike-rate let him down then

The advent of T20 has changed the dynamics of cricket completely. The ratio of players who can play both ODIs and Tests has gone down drastically; only a handful of players like Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Steven Smith, David Warner, Kane Williamson and Joe Root have succeeded in all the three formats of the game.

While the ODI batsmen struggle for technique, endurance and patience in Tests, the Test batsmen struggle to adjust to the fast-paced style of ODIs. And that's particularly true of India; the country's ODI legends like Ajay Jadeja, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma have failed to make any impact in Test cricket.

In this article, we are going to look at the reverse case: Indian Test match specialists who struggled to make a mark in ODIs despite getting several chances.

#1 Cheteshwar Pujara

The Saurashtra batsman played two ODI games against Zimbabwe and three against Bangladesh in the 2013-14 season. However, he couldn't succeed in the limited overs format as he scored only 51 runs from his five innings. His dismal strike-rate of 39.23 led to his downfall in ODIs.

In stark contrast, Pujara has been a pillar of the Indian batting line-up in Tests for the past seven years. He is maintaining an average of 50.49 in Tests which includes 16 centuries. He is constantly compared to Rahul Dravid because of his assured technique and for his ability to bat for sessions.

Pujara's success in Tests would have made many wonder why couldn't replicate the same in ODIs. But his low strike-rate made him a not-so-apt candidate for the middle and lower-middle order, along with making him unsuitable for the top order.

Moreover, India's stability in the ODI top order with likes of Rohit, Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli has cancelled out Pujara's chance to shine in ODIs.

#2 Wriddhiman Saha

Wriddhiman Saha
Wriddhiman Saha

Wriddhiman Saha has represented India in ODIs in nine games. But the Bengal-born wicket-keeper couldn't make use of his chances in the 50-over games as she scored only 41 runs at a below-par average of 13.67. He also struggled with his strike-rate,73.21, which was not enough for a lower-order batsman.

MS Dhoni, deservingly, has been holding the wicket-keeper spot in the Indian ODI team for close to 15 years. His regular presence in ODIs during the 21st century did not help Saha as he got only a few chances to prove his worth.

Saha, however, has been a key member of the Indian Test side since Dhoni's retirement. He has played 32 Test matches for India and is considered one of the best keepers in the world, having taken 75 catches and produced 10 stumpings so far.

#3 Murali Vijay

Vijay's gifted ability to score maximums could have been put to better use in ODIs
Vijay's gifted ability to score maximums could have been put to better use in ODIs

Muraji Vijay played 17 ODIs for India from 2010 to 2015. However, the 34-year-old opening batsman couldn't cement his spot despite getting a decent run.

Vijay scored only 339 runs from his 17 matches at a dismal average of 21.19. He could manage only one half-century from his 16 innings.

The Chennai-born Tamil Nadu batsman had several opportunities to cement his place in the ODI team when legends like Sachin and Sehwag retired. However, he missed his chance despite having the potential to score quick runs and massive sixes.

Vijay, however, has been one of the key members of the Indian Test team for the past few years. His ability to negate swing bowling in the initial overs has helped India win some crucial away Tests.

Vijay has played 60 Test matches so far, averaging close to 40 with the bat. He has amassed 3962 runs which include 12 massive centuries.

#4 Wasim Jaffer

Jaffer would have been an Indian cricket legend had he played in a different era
Jaffer would have been an Indian cricket legend had he played in a different era

The Mumbai stalwart played only two ODIs for India. In 2006, he played two games against South Africa scoring just 10 runs.

The dominance of Sachin, Sehwag and Ganguly in the top-order of India's ODI team during Jaffer's prime hampered his chances in the 50-over format.

Jaffer is a good limited overs batsman in domestic cricket, with a sound average of 44.89 in List-A games. The right-handed batsman scored 4310 runs and 10 centuries from his 102 List-A games, and would have definitely succeeded on the world stage too had he played in a different era.

Jaffer had a brief successful stint in the Indian Test team. He played 31 Test matches from 2000 to 2008, scoring 1944 runs at an average of 34.11. His ability to score quick centuries helped India win quite a few games in the sub-continental pitches. He scored five centuries for India from his 58 innings.

Jaffer is one of the most gifted cricketers India has ever produced. It's a shame that he could not made it big in the international arena.

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Edited by Musab Abid