Most first-class appearances by Indians before national call-up

Not every cricketer has got the opportunity to play Test cricket for their respective countries after just a few dozen matches at the first-class level. Some had to grind it out for years before finally being called-up their national squads albeit at a relatively higher age - the great Australian Mike Hussey is a classic example - while only a few earn the faith of the selectors early.

Sportskeeda lists 5 Indian cricketers who played the most number of first-class matches before they were eventually handed over calls to be a part of - or represent - the senior side.

---

#5 Shute Banerjee - 105 matches

A right-arm medium pacer who was a more than useful tailender with the bat, Shute Banerjee's international career unfortunately remained restricted to just a solitary Test match. But before that opportunity finally arrived against the West Indies in 1949, Banerjee had a part of been multiple unofficial Tests like that as far back as in 1935 against an Australian side led by Jack Ryder, in 1937 against the team under Lord Tennyson and another one in 1945 against an Australian Services team.

However, in his only Test match for India, Banerjee, despite being 37 and well past his prime years as a bowler, returned figures of 1/73 and 4/54 at Bombay, having earlier had to sit out for two tours to England in 1936 as well as 1946. Eventually, he finished his first-class career with an aggregate of 138 matches, bagging 385 wickets at 26.69.

#4 Robin Singh - 108 matches

Robin Singh, despite being able to contribute across all departments, found it difficult to get a place in the Test side

Trinidad-born Robin Singh, who could do virtually everything for his side with a fair bit of respectability, was another Indian cricketer who found it difficult to squeeze into the national side in the longest format. Despite being good with bat, ball and in the field - he has even coached India Under-19, Hong Kong and being the senior India side's fielding coach - Robin had to remain contended with only one Test, which came after 108 first-class matches for Tamil Nadu.

In that Test against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1998, he got identical figures of 0/16 in both innings and scored 15 and 12 in a losing cause, thus becoming a victim of a shock defeat despite India taking a first innings lead. Robin never returned to play Test cricket, though continuing to play at the domestic level. His first-class career included a total of 138 matches, averaging 46 and 35 with the bat and ball, respectively.

#3 Naman Ojha - 111 matches

Naman Ojha's only Test came as a replacement for regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha against Sri Lanka in 2015

Always described as a rising talent and an extremely able cricketer, wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha faced stiff competition first from MS Dhoni, who was India's Test captain for six years, and then Wriddhiman Saha, who has established his place in the side as a quiet contributor with crucial lower-order runs as well as commendable work behind the stumps. Ojha always remained on the sidelines only as a ready-made replacement, often ending up warming the benches and carrying drinks for the playing eleven.

His one and only Test appearance also came as Saha's replacement on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2015 - in fact, he is unfortunate enough to have played just 1 ODI and 2 T20s too - and while Saha was ruled out of Tests against England at home in late 2016 and against South Africa early in 2018, the selectors turned to Parthiv Patel, confining Ojha to domestic cricket yet again. In his only Test though, Ojha hit 21 and 35, besides affecting a total of 5 dismissals at Colombo (SSC).

#2 Saba Karim - 116 matches

An eye injury ended Saba Karim's playing career, who played 34 ODIs and a single Test for India

Saba Karim was a veteran in first-class cricket, but again, like numerous other talented names, had multiple competitors in the national side who blocked his entry, which, in Karim's case were MSK Prasad and Sameer Dighe. Though Karim had slowly become a regular in India's ODI side, it took him 116 first-class games before finally making his international debut in the longest format. That was in the year 2000 and the match was Bangladesh's first in the format. Karim made 15 in the only innings he batted and took a solitary catch in the match.

Never to have played Tests again, Karim then suffered an accidental eye injury while keeping to Anil Kumble in an Asia Cup match earlier in the year, a hit which would require surgery and eventually end his playing career soon though his Test debut came after the incident. In first-class matches, though, Karim averaged a splendid 56 with the bat in 120 matches, having grabbed 298 dismissals with the gloves.

#1 Dilip Doshi - 122 matches

Dilip Doshi is believed to have lost his place in the national side owing to an unstable relationship with Sunil Gavaskar

Dilip Doshi was a gifted left-arm spinner with supreme control on his off-breaks, the kind of bowling which earned him great reputation in county cricket in England, where he represented three different teams. But the great Bishan Singh Bedi - part of the famous spin trio also including Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna - kept Doshi's international appearances in check, with a Test cap coming his way only after 122 first-class games, a record most for a cricketer from his country.

But he did play 33 Tests for India after his debut against Australia in 1979, with the last one coming four years later against Pakistan. Averaging 30.72 with the ball was always acceptable, but critics claimed that Doshi's unstable relationship with the far more established and respected Sunil Gavaskar cost him his place in the national side, which Gavaskar led in two separate stints.