Harry Brook has been all over the news as he has missed out on World Cup squad.
Brook has been in tremendous form lately but the return of Ben Strokes to the limited overs format meant someone has to make way for him in the middle order and its the least experience but highly talented Brook, who had to sacrifice his place for Strokes.
But its not the first time, a player who is seen as someone who can make huge impact in World Cup for their team failed to make the final cut.
Here are the 8 such players :-
1) Rahul Dravid :- Rahul Dravid was not named in 1996 World Cup played in India.
The Wall then had just began his career and he was there in contention for the World Cup but didn’t make the cut in the final squad lead by Azhar.
Dravid once revealed that he himself didn’t expect to be selected for the World Cup and was totally focused on Ranji Trophy before the England tour which ultimately turned to be his career break as he went on to play for India for more than a decade.
India eventually suffered a collapse in semifinal, if there could have been a Dravid like batsman in middle order, who knows, things could have been different.
2) VVS Laxman – The very very special Laxman also unfortunately missed out on 2003 World Cup when then captain Saurav Ganguly preferred the left hander Dinesh Mongia in the middle order.
Well Mongia had an unimpressive show at the World Cup with batting but he bowled few overs too and if only a DRS would have been available in the final, we all could have seen the ball tracking of him catching Ponting in the front of the wicket, the decision to play Mongia instead of Laxman would have looked right then.
India only lost 2 matches against Australia in that World cup and Laxman always had terrific records against the Kangaroos, but if that, then only works when that you look backwards.
3) Rohit Sharma – The present captain of Team India had the most painful time of his career when he didn’t make into the final squad of World Cup 2011.
Well, as Indian fans, we don’t have any complaints as India won the World Cup and also their last ICC trophy but for Rohit Sharma it sparked the fire in him to push harder and harder and eventually he piled up so many great performances in domestic cricket, selectors had to get him in a chance.
4) Praveen Kumar – Praveen Kumar was a regular feature for about 2 years before the 2011 world cup but a untimely injury just before the World Cup costed him a place in World Cup squad.
Team management did try their best by sending him to Andrew Wallace, a doctor in london who also treated Sachin tennis elbow, but he just couldn’t recover in time and Kerala born aggressive Shreeshanth eventually replaced him.
Nothing to complain as India won the World Cup, but Kumar lost his old touch with that injury and was not at his very best when he recovered from the injury post World Cup.
5) Shane Warne – The late magical leg spinner missed out on 2003 World Cup squad as he failed a doping test.
Ian Harvey the allrounder eventually replaced him. No complaints for Kangaroo as they won the World Cup quite easily.
6) Alaister Cook – The red ball giant didn’t have that long and great career when it comes to white ball cricket. But he was to lead the England in 2015 World Cup, but because of pressure or turmoil within the team, exact reasons known to Cook only, he announced his retirement in Decemeber 2014, just few months before the World Cup.
England had a very short stint at 2015 World Cup under new Captain Morgan, who eventually was named the England skipper.
The defeat against Bangladesh totally changed their way of playing cricket after 2015.
7) Yuzvendra Chahal – The highest wicket taker in IPL and highest wicket taker for India in the t20 format, Chahal is still to play a t20 world cup game.
Rahul Chahar and Ashwin were preferred over him in 2021 and 2022 t20 World Cup. Though Rahul Chahar only featured for India in dead rubber matches, other than the last ball 4 against Pakistan, Ashwin didn’t really made an impact with the ball.
8) Ambati Rayadu – The last one on the list is the player who were once thought to be the next Sachin Tendulkar.
Ambati Rayadu had great scores building upto World Cup 2019, but out of nowhere Vijay Shankar snatched the no 4 spot from Ambati Rayadu because of his 3D talent.
Rayadu who had to watch the World Cup from his home, didn’t miss out on watching the 3d player with his 3d glasses. The, then selector MSK Prasad is currently in the news, as he has joined Lucknow Supergiants as a strategic consultant. May be we will se Vijay Shankar playing for Lucknow soon 🙂 .
