Dinesh Karthik has once again started doing the rounds for being a probable contender for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He has been in phenomenal form in the ongoing edition of the tournament and continues to be a blazing lodestar for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He has already racked up significant figures in IPL 2022 and is still to be dismissed. More importantly, that monstrous strike rate of 210.86 is something that would rake the brains of the selectors even more.
Despite Dinesh Karthik’s emergence from the ashes, there have been many who actually started their international journey after Karthik but faded away earlier than RCB’s hitman. Let us take a look at five monikers who came late into the international arena but are now nowhere to be seen in the longest format of the sport.
#1 RP Singh
One of the most elemental forces of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, RP Singh has been out of the limelight for a while now. A lethal swing bowler who would often produce that prized yorker, he lost his career to a string of unfortunate injuries that marred his pace and left him crippled for his line and length. He played his last international affair in September 2011 against England at Cardiff.
#2 Praveen Kumar
One of the finest bowlers of swing to have graced the sport for India, who made the CB series win against Australia possible, lost his career to predominant bouts of mediocrity and some uncontrolled anger issues. His last international contest came against South Africa in Johannesburg where his numbers were already flailing and there was very little that this quick could have done to dissuade the selectors of the notion that he was done once and for all.
#3 Ambati Rayudu
This was a close call but once again the talented middle-order batter lost track of his career just ahead of Karthik. Call it an ego clash or maybe a feat that he himself didn’t like to boast of, yet somehow the selectors felt that they have had enough of his mediocre displays and would like to get someone new in his place. He played his last international affair on March 8th, 2019, against Australia at Ranchi.
#4 Pragyan Ojha
Despite being a spinner of promise, Pragyan Ojha’s desperate attempt to arrest his flailing career didn’t really see the light of the day as he played his final international contest in 2013 where he was a part of the Indian squad that razed the West Indians down at the Wankhede. He is now part of the administration and takes a boatload of decisions that impact Indian cricket for the best.
#5 Munaf Patel
The year that saw Munaf being an instrumental part of the World Cup-winning Indian squad also stayed witness to the last of him as he couldn’t take his career any further. His last contest came against England in Cardiff in 2011, a tempestuous time in Indian cricket where they saw countless transitions happening.
