10 most disappointing performers of 2014

The year 2014 has seen some fine cricketers put up brilliant performances with the bat and ball. Virat Kohli seems to have made up for the horror time he endured in England in the ongoing series against Australia. Misbah-ul-Haq, meanwhile, equalled Sir Vivian Richards’ record for the fastest hundred scored in Test History.But there have also been players who have failed to perform despite coming into the year with huge expectations pinned on them.Here’s a look at the 10 most disappointing performers of 2014:

#10 Rohit Sharma (Tests)

After a terrific debut Test series against the West Indies at home towards the end of last year, there were huge expectations from Rohit Sharma in 2014. But the right-hander has had a very poor year with the bat in the longer format of the game, amassing a mere 237 runs in 5 Tests. He started off the year on a decent note, scoring a 72 in the two-match Test series against New Zealand.

But he received widespread criticism for the manner in which he performed in the only Test he played against England in Southampton, throwing away a good start in the first innings and then failing to perform in the second innings when his side was in a spot of bother.

He was however expected to perform on the ongoing tour of Australia but has failed once again, scoring just 81 runs in the first two Tests before being dropped for the third Test at Melbourne.

#9 Eoin Morgan (ODIs and T20s)

Considered to be a limited-overs specialist for England, Eoin Morgan hasn't had the best of times with the bat in 2014 in ODI cricket in particular, scoring a total of 560 runs from 23 ODIs. He had a good start to the year in Australia, scoring 282 runs in 5 matches, that included a 106 at Brisbane.

But he failed to live up to his reputation during the home summer. First against Sri Lanka, he scored just 72 runs and then had yet another poor series against India, where he scored just 84 runs in 4 matches.

He managed to score just a single fifty in the seven-match ODI series against Sri Lanka recently.

He had a poor World T20 as well, scoring just 89 runs in 4 matches, but helped England win the lone T20 against India at home in September, scoring a quick-fire 71 off 31 balls.

#8 Shikhar Dhawan (Tests)

Shikhar Dhawan had a good start to the year 2014 when he scored a 100 in the two-match Test series versus New Zealand. But his performances in the longer format tapered off in England, where he failed to put up good performances, amassing just 122 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 20.33

So far on the tour of Australia, Dhawan has scored 167 runs in 3 Tests with a highest score of 81 at Brisbane.

#7 Ben Stokes (Tests and ODIs)

Ben Stokes started the year on a good note, picking up 6 for 99 in the New Year’s Test against Australia at Sydney and also scoring a 70 with the bat. After missing the two-match series against Sri Lanka, he returned to the team in the five-match series against India.

However, he had a terrible time against the Indians with the bat, failing to score a single run in the first two Tests, and was dropped for the remaining three Tests of the series. In those two Tests, Stokes picked up 7 wickets at an average of 33.

In the ODIs, Stokes was part of the team during the ODI leg of the tour of Australia. He failed with the bat, scoring a mere 196 runs in 5 matches, but picked up 10 wickets in the series. He failed to come good in the following series against the West Indies as well, scoring 9 runs in 3 ODIs. He failed to pick up a single wicket in the 3 games.

Hoping to end his woes, he came into the limited-overs leg of the home summer against Sri Lanka and India, but failed to put up good performances and was eventually left out of England’s World Cup squad.

#6 Hamish Rutherford (Tests)

Hamish Rutherford represented New Zealand in 5 Tests in 2014, scoring an abysmal 120 runs at an average of 12. The left-hander failed to score both in the home series against India at the start of the year as well as in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Christchurch.

Equally poor were Rutherford’s away performances as he managed to score just 39 runs in the 2 matches in the Caribbean at a dismal average of 9.75.

#5 Mohammed Shami (Tests)

After a fine debut series at home against the West Indies and a good away series in South Africa last year, Mohammed Shami was expected to play a key role in the longer format of the game this year.

In the two Tests against New Zealand, the right-arm pacer picked up 10 scalps at an average of 35.70. Following the IPL, Shami was picked on the tour of England but had a terrible time, picking up a mere five wickets in three Tests at an average of 73.20.

Despite struggling in England, India’s seam bowling hopes were once again pinned on him to deliver in Australia, but he hasn't looked at his best thus far in the series, picking up 8 wickets from his two Tests.

#4 Kusal Perera (ODIs)

Much was expected from Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera in 2014, but the Sri Lankan left-hander failed to provide good starts for his side at the top of the order, scoring just 726 runs in 31 ODIs at a paltry average of 23.41.

Apart from two series against South Africa and Bangladesh, where he averaged over 30, Perera had a terrible time in all the other series. He scored a 64 against India in the Asia Cup game in Bangladesh, but failed to fire in the five-match ODI series versus India in November, scoring just 4 runs in the three ODIs that he played in the series.

He failed to perform in the ODI series versus New Zealand and Pakistan and in the home series against England last month too, amassing just 99 runs in total.

#3 Alastair Cook (Tests and ODIs)

Alastair Cook had a year to forget with the bat in 2014. After being 0-4 down in the Ashes, Cook was hoping to start 2014 on a positive note, but instead failed miserably in the New Year’s Test at Sydney, scoring 14 runs in the game.

Cook had a poor start to the home summer too, scoring 78 runs in the two Tests against Sri Lanka at an average of 19.50.

The five-match Test series against India at home began horribly for him as he failed with the bat in the opening Test at Trent Bridge and then flopped again at Lord’s. With immense pressure on him to deliver, Cook came into the third Test at Southampton hoping to get a good score to his name.

He scored a 231-ball 95 in the first innings and then scored a 70 not out in the second innings. His woes with the bat, however, resurfaced in the next Test at Old Trafford, but he came back to score a 79 in the final Test at the Oval. Overall, he managed to score 298 runs in 5 Tests at an average close to 50.

Cook played 20 ODIs for England in 2014, scoring 523 runs at an average of 27.53. However, more than the runs, the major disappointment for him would’ve been to be removed as the ODI captain of his country just a few months away from the World Cup.

#2 Shane Watson (Tests and ODIs)

Australia’s premier all-rounder Shane Watson didn't have the best of times in 2014, amassing just 258 runs in 5 Tests at an average of 25.80. In the New Year’s Test against England at Sydney, Watson could manage only 52 runs.

He didn't feature in the first 2 Tests of the three-match series against South Africa, and failed to make any impact on his return in the final Test at Cape Town, scoring 65 runs in the game. In the ongoing Test series against India, the all-rounder has got off to starts but failed to convert those starts into big ones.

With the ball as well, Watson hasn’t had the greatest of times in 2014, picking up just 3 wickets.

In coloured clothing, the 33-year-old played just 7 matches, scoring 165 runs at an average of 23.57 with a best of 82. He wasn't effective with the ball either, picking up just 2 wickets.

#1 Cheteshwar Pujara (Tests)

After doing very well in South Africa at the end of 2013, Cheteshwar Pujara came into 2014 with everyone expecting him to perform well, especially with the three overseas tours of New Zealand, England and Australia on the horizon. But, unfortunately, the 26-year-old has had a forgettable time with the bat.

In the two Tests in New Zealand in February, Pujara managed to score only 60 runs in the four innings at an average of 15.

His woeful returns in England, where he scored a mere 222 runs in 5 Tests at an average of 22.50, were an even bigger disappointment. After having a stint at Derbyshire, it was hoped he would do well in Australia at the end of the year. However, he hasn't had the greatest of times thus far, scoring just one fifty in Adelaide.