Players with the most number of International matches before Test debut

There is a reason why Test cricket is hailed as the ultimate form of cricket; a format which tests a cricketers' patience, perseverance, temperament, tenacity, and character to the hilt.

You might get away with a limited skill-set in white-ball cricket but in Test cricket, there's no hiding. The aforementioned facts are the reason why earning a Test cap remains an ultimate dream for any cricketer.

Recently, Aaron Finch made his Test match debut for Australia against Pakistan on their ongoing tour of the UAE.

Already a pivotal member of Australia's limited-overs set-up (4957 runs at 40.30 in 135 Internationals), Finch had to wait for 135 International matches to finally earn the coveted Baggy Green.

While the Test match might not be going Australia's way, Finch celebrated his debut with scores of 62 & 49.

Today, in this article, we'll have a look at the other players who played the most number of International matches before making their Test match debut.

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#4 Andrew Symonds (94)

Symonds brought gusto to whatever he did

A gun fielder, more than a handful bowler in the middle-overs and an absolute monster with the bat, Andrew Symonds brought gusto in whatever he did on a cricket field.

Symonds made his ODI debut for Australia in 1998 against Pakistan but sporadic performances resulted in him being in and out of the side. All that changed one fine day in 2003.

In a tournament (ICC World Cup) that he was not expected to feature in, Symonds crafted a masterly 143 off 125 balls against the likes of Wasim, Waqar, and Shoaib Akhter to lift Australia from a precarious position. Symonds went on to become a pivotal part of the Aussie ODI set-up and finally bagged the coveted Baggy Green a year later against Sri Lanka.

The 2007-08 season was arguably his best, with 777 runs in nine Tests including a controversial 162 at the SCG which ended with a lengthy race row involving Harbhajan Singh in what came to be known as 'The Monkeygate scandal'.

The scandal proved to be the beginning of the end for Andrew Symond's career as a series of disciplinary violations led to his termination of the central contract in 2009.

Symonds played his final Test for Australia against South Africa at the 2008 Boxing Day; a match remembered for Dale Steyn's heroics with the ball and Australia's first series defeat at home since 1992-93 (lost to West Indies 1-2).

In all, Symonds donned the Baggy Green in 26 Test matches for Australia and scored 1462 runs at a respectable average of 40.61.

#3 Suresh Raina (116)

A match-winner in limited-overs cricket, Raina couldn't set the stage on fire in Test cricket

When you think of Suresh Raina, you think of an attacking white-ball batsman, a gun fielder and more than a handy bowler.

Raina debuted in 2005 and after few years of inconsistent performances finally nailed his spot in the 2008-09 season to become a bedrock of Indian ODI and T20 set-up.

Based on his returns in the shorter formats of the game, Raina was handed a Test match debut on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2010. He celebrated his debut with a hundred at Colombo but Raina's perennial weakness against the moving as well as short-pitch balling was exposed to the hilt in the succeeding years and he was subsequently dropped from the side after the disastrous England tour of 2011.

He made his comeback three years later at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2015 with little effect as the southpaw bagged a pair to effectively end his Test career.

Raina played 18 Test matches and scored 768 runs at an average of 26.48 with a solitary hundred; a stark contrast to his bloated ODI and T20I numbers.

#2 Chamu Chibhabha (126)

Chibhaba made his debut 11 years after playing his first ODI

A promising all-rounder, who made his white-ball debut against New Zealand back in 2005, Chamu Chibhabha had to wait for 126 Internationals to finally earn a Test match debut, 11 years later against the same opposition at Bulawayo in 2016.

In what ended as a disappointing match for his side (defeat by an innings and 117 runs), Chibhabha scored 15 & 1 while opening the batting.

He has added to more Test caps to his tally, the last of which came in a first-ever four-day Test at the Boxing Day last year in South Africa where Zimbabwe was bowled out twice in a day.

#1 Rohit Sharma (144)

An unfulfilled talent in Test cricket thus far

And topping the list is one of the most talked talents of the 21st century- Rohit Sharma.

Sharma, who has now established himself as a premiere white-ball cricketer, debuted in the 2007 World Twenty 20.

He displayed his precious talent with a crucial half-century against South Africa and was earmarked as the next big thing in Indian Cricket.

But, sadly, due to indifference performances and a packed middle-order, Sharma had to wait for six years and 144 International matches before he finally made his debut against the West Indies in late 2013.

Sharma was originally in-line to debut against South Africa at Nagpur in 2010. But a freakish injury during the practise session meant Wriddhiman Saha got the opportunity ahead of the Mumbai batsman.

Rohit celebrated his debut with back-to-back tons but sadly his perennial weakness against the moving ball was exposed to the hilt on the succeeding tours of the SENA countries.

Rohit's last Test series came against South Africa earlier this year but an ordinary return of 47 runs in four innings meant he was dropped from the side for the Wanderers' Test and was subsequently ignored for the England tour and the ongoing Windies series at home.

Sharma has thus far played 25 Test matches for India with 1479 runs at an average of 39.97 and three 100s.