Dinesh Karthik is making headlines once more as a possible candidate for the upcoming T20 World Cup. In the current edition of the competition, he has been in outstanding form and continues to be a blazing lodestar for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He has already amassed substantial numbers in the IPL 2022 season and is yet to be removed. More crucially, the selectors’ minds would be raked even more by the tremendous strike rate of 210.86.
Despite Dinesh Karthik’s resurrection, there have been many who began their international careers after Karthik but withered away before the RCB’s hitman. Let’s take a look at five names that arrived late on the international scene but have since vanished from the sport’s most enduring format:
1. RP Singh
RP Singh, one of the most important players in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup victory, has been out of the spotlight for some time. He was a devastating swing bowler who was known for his prized yorker, but his career was cut short due to a series of bad injuries that hampered his speed and left him handicapped for line and length. His last international match was against England in Cardiff in September 2011.
2. Praveen Kumar
One of the best swing bowlers in history, who helped India win the CB series against Australia, had his career end due to a combination of mediocrity and uncontrollable rage. His final international match was against South Africa in Johannesburg, when his stats were already sagging, and there was little this fast could have done to convince the selectors that he was done for good.
3. Ambati Rayudu
Although it was a narrow call, the excellent middle-order batsman once again lost track of his career just ahead of Karthik. Call it an ego conflict or an achievement he didn’t want to brag about, but the selectors thought they had had enough of his lackluster performances and wanted to replace him with someone fresh. On March 8th, 2019, he played his final international match against Australia in Ranchi.
4. Pragyan Ojha
Though being a promising spinner, Pragyan Ojha’s frantic attempt to save his faltering career never saw the light of day, as he played his final international match in 2013 as part of the Indian side that thrashed the West Indians at the Wankhede. He is now a member of the administration and makes a slew of decisions that have a positive influence on Indian cricket.
5. Munaf Patel
Munaf’s year in which he was a key member of India’s World Cup-winning side also marked the end of his career, since he was unable to continue his career. His last match was against England in Cardiff in 2011, at a turbulent period in Indian cricket that witnessed a slew of changes.
