5 instances when cricketers walked out before an ICC tournament

West Indian Darren Bravo is the latest cricketer to have pulled out of an ICC eventA global stage. The worlds toughest competitors fighting it out for the elusive title. An opportunity to make the nation proud by emerging victorious after beating the best in the business. Accolades, fame, glory and a new found respect from contemporaries to follow.Every sportsperson, before embarking on his journey, has the ultimate vision to shine on the worlds grandest sporting event. With glaring eyes fixed upon every move and every performance, such sporting tournaments often have the cruel habit of differentiating the mediocre from the brilliant, displaying an athleteÂÂs mettle on the public platform.With such global tourneys being few and sparse in between, it is, therefore. surprising when a player, in the prime of his form, opts out voluntarily, deciding to give the much awaited contest a miss.West Indian cricketer Darren Bravo is the latest sportsman to join the bandwagon, by choosing to skip the T20 World Cup to be held in India from March, after he was named in the West Indies 15 member squad. Choosing to focus on Test cricket instead, Bravo cited that he has a âÂÂbig part to play in the resurgence of West Indies cricket in the longer formats of the gameÂÂ. The West Indies squad is already sans Sunil Narine and Keiron Pollard, who have pulled out due to a defective bowling action and incomplete rehab work after sustaining an injury respectively.However, this is not the first time that a cricketer has willfully walked out of an event. Here are 5 instances in recent history when a cricketer chose to pull out of an ICC tournament, for varied reasons.

#1 Jacques Kallis rules himself out of the Champions Trophy, 2013

Jacques Kallis opted out of the Champions Trophy due to “personal reasons”

Jacques Kallis was a notable absentee from the South African squad for the Champions Trophy in 2013, that was held in England.

Although the all-rounder had not featured in the national ODI team for over a year, it was expected that Kallis would make a comeback in the Proteas’ quest for their first ever ICC trophy.

However, the right-handed batsman opted out due to “personal reasons”, providing the big hitter David Miller an oppurtunity to turn out for AB de Villiers’ team.

Kallis, in all honesty, in his column for an Indian newspaper, wrote that “I simply cannot go through the motions or take up a place in a squad unless it has my full attention. So it would have been unfair of me to accept a place in the Proteas’ squad for the Champions Trophy next month.” His manager Dave Rundle cleared the air on this decision, stating that the cricketer needed time off to plan the next two years in international cricket, with the 2015 World Cup remaining his ultimate dream.

The veteran went on to play seven ODI’s after skipping the Champions Trophy, playing his last game against Sri Lanka in 2014.

#2 Ryan ten Doeschate chooses \"other cricket assignments\" over the T20 World Cup Qualifiers

Ryan ten Doeschate has preferred turning out for various T20 leagues than play the World Cup Qualifiers for Netherlands

Ryan ten Doeschate, who became a household name in India after his heroics with the bat for Netherlands in the Cricket World Cup in 2011, chose to skip the 2012 and 2014 editions of the T20 World Cup Qualifiers to fulfill his other “cricket commitments” in South Africa and New Zealand respectively.

Tendo defended this “club over country” conflict, which earned him brickbats, by deciding to put his best interests first rather than turning out for an amateur cricketing setup, which, according to him, was not as satisfying as playing professional cricket.

Doeschate, who has played 33 ODI’s for the national team, stated that the “lack of hardcore professional cricketers” in Netherlands, proved a hindrance to his aspirations and goals. “I just felt that the reward I was receiving out of playing cricket with the Dutch boys wasn't equating to where I wanted to go with my career.”

Earlier in 2009, the batsman had skipped the qualifying event for the 2011 World Cup, in order to play for his County Essex, where his primary interest lay. The former Kolkata Knight Riders cricketer is not in the squad for this years T20 World Cup as well.

#3 Mohammad Yousuf calls for a Ramadan break during the Champions Trophy in 2008

Mohammad Yousuf was unavailable for selection for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2008 due to Ramadan

Mohammad Yousuf, who converted to Islam from Christianity in 2005, made himself unavailable for Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign in 2008 as it clashed with the holy month of Ramadan.

With Muslims expected to devoutly indulge in prayers and fast from sunrise to sunset in the holiest month of their calender, Yousuf pulled out from the 30 member preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy to fulfill his religious commitments.

Mohammad Hafeez replaced the talented batsman in the squad of 30. However due to security concerns in Pakistan, the host nation for the event, the tournament was held in South Africa a year later.

Incidentally, Yousuf did play during Ramadan in 2006 and 2007, in the Champions Trophy in India and a series against South Africa at home respectively. It is also believed that a number of Pakistani cricketers were observing fasts during the 1992 World Cup, which they ended up clinching.

#4 Dirk Nannes prefers playing for Delhi Daredevils over the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in 2009

Nannes skipped the ICC World Cup Qualifiers to play in the IPL

Much like fellow countryman Ryan ten Doeschate, fast bowler Dirk Nannes decided to skip the ICC World Cup Qualifier in South Africa for Netherlands in 2009, to turn out for the Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Daredevils.

With the IPL clashing with the ICC tournament, Nannes showed his allegiance to the cash-rich event instead.

The left arm bowler, who has also represented Australia in the international circuit, is one of the three Dutch players who have made themselves unavailable from this years T20 World Cup to be held in India, with Tom Cooper and Doeschate being the other two.

#5 Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid skip the 2007 T20 World Cup for the youngsters

The batting greats voluntarily skipped the 2007 T20 World Cup as it was the “way forward for Indian cricket.”

In a selfless move which possibly heralded a new era in Indian cricket, veterans Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid decided to opt out of the squad for the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, that was held in South Africa.

The trio, who had been embroiled in a seven-match ODI series against England just days before the 30 member preliminary squad for the World Cup was announced, allowed a younger set of players under newly appointed captain MS Dhoni to take the field.

"We thought it is better if the younger guys played that tournament. Twenty20 is a game for youngsters. I think it was a proper decision and the way forward for Indian cricket”, stated Dravid, who had telephoned then chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar to inform him of this decision.

The move proved to be a masterstroke as MSD’s young team went on to clinch the title. A new set of players, like Rohit Sharma, entered the reckoning, as Dhoni ushered in the age of a new look team sans the batting legends.