5 cricketers who faded away after brilliant debut performances

#2 Bob Massie (Australia)

Bob Massie was dropped only after six Test matches after a blistering debut

On June 26, 1972, during the second Test of the Ashes, a 25-year-old man swung the ball prodigiously to completely confuse the English batsman.

Robert Arnold Lockyer Massie was an Australian medium-fast swing bowler who on debut picked up 16 wickets for 137 runs against England. His figures were uncannily similar to Hirwani's; Massie actually has the second-best bowling fugures on debut.

Hailed as the player who produced one of the greatest Ashes debuts, Massie's career trajectory went a lot like Hirwani's too. He played only five more Test matches after his stupendous debut. In these five matches, he failed to double the number of wickets he captured in his first Test.

After that initial series, Massie played just two more. By the end of 18 months he had been dropped — not only by Australia, but also by his state side Western Australia. What had begun as a promising start, soon fizzled out. Having lost out on professional cricket, Massie joined radio commentary.