10 Indian Cricketers Who Are One-Format Wonders

It is indeed a monumental challenge for cricketers to play and let alone specialize in all three formats. The advent of the T20 version has not only transformed the game into a fast-paced one but also increased the pressure on cricketers in terms of adaptability. The players are forced to adapt rapidly from one form to another in a matter of a few days.

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The Indian cricketers in specific, play plenty of cricket in any given year across formats. Hence, not many players can perform equally well in all three versions and specialize in one. But such players, having invested all their abilities in mastering at any one form of cricket, become expert in the same.

We take a look at 10 Indian cricketers of all time who are one format wonders:

Murali Vijay:

Murali Vijay was once one of the most trusted opening batsmen in India’s Test line-up. Having scored 33 and 41 in his first Test against Australia in 2008, the right-handed batsman stayed in the scheme of things. Vijay went on to play 61 Tests, scoring 3982 runs along with 12 centuries at 38.28.

The 36-year old also played 17 ODIs and nine T20Is for the men in blue; however, couldn’t make a substantial mark in any of those. The Tamil Nadu also lost his place in the longest version following the second Test against Australia in the 2018-19 series. It seems unlikely that he would make a return to the Test side in the future.

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Ajit Agarkar:

Ajit Agarkar was a cricketer with enormous talent, having the ability to swing the ball both ways with the old and new ball. Agarkar was no mug with the bat either, holding the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs by an Indian. It came off 21 deliveries against Zimbabwe in the last to last decade.

The former Mumbai paceman is also the third-highest wicket-taker for the nation in ODIs, having taken 288 scalps in 191 games. He also played 26 Tests from 1998 to 2006; however, his red-ball career couldn’t go beyond that due to injuries. The 42-year old retired from international cricket in 2013.

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Wriddhiman Saha:

Wriddhiman Saha primarily occupies the place in India’s present Test side due to his superlative keeping skills. While Saha is handy as a batsman, he is mainly preferred over Rishabh Pant for his ability to keep wickets effectively.

It was MS Dhoni’s retirement from Tests in 2014 that opened the doors for Saha to solidify his position. In 37 Tests so far, the 35-year old boasts of 1238 runs at 30.19 with three centuries. Wriddhiman Saha’s last of nine ODIs came in November 2014, having debuted in 2010.

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Pragyan Ojha:

Pragyan Ojha was amongst few left-arm spinners in India’s repertoire. The Orissa-born made his Test debut in 2004 and kept chipping in with useful wickets. Ojha’s economy rate also kept improving and formed a partnership with Harbhajan Singh and later with Ravichandran Ashwin.

In 24 Tests, the 33-year old 113 scalps at 30.26 with seven five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul. It was in 2013 Mumbai where his only ten-wicket innings came along despite which Pragyan Ojha didn’t play another Test. The left-arm spinner also featured in 18 ODIs and six T20Is, picking up 21 and 10 scalps respectively.

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Ishant Sharma:

Ishant Sharma has risen as India’s fast-bowling spearhead in Tests, having made his first appearance back in 2007. In 2008, in his first tour of Australia, the right-arm speedster caused problems for the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, in an ominous spell.

At present, with all the tricks and experience in his repertoire, Ishant has become Kohli’s one of most trusted lieutenants. In 97 Tests, the 31-year old has 297 wickets at 32.39 with 11 five-wicket hauls. While he has also featured in 80 ODIs, he bowls largely inconsistently in the format.

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Cheteshwar Pujara:

Cheteshwar Pujara burst into the international scene in 2010, two years before Rahul Dravid hung up his boots. It is safe to say that the 31-year old is a perfect replacement for Rahul Dravid in Tests at number three, possessing a solid front-foot defence, temperament, and a willingness to occupy the crease.

The Saurashtra right-handed batsman played a significant role in India’s first Test series victory in 2018 in Australia. The right-handed batsman mustered 523 runs in four Tests, grinding down the reputed Australian bowling attack and feasting on them. In 77 Tests so far, he has 5840 runs at 48.66 with 18 tons. His last of five ODIs came in 2014. The five 50-over fixtures have yielded only 51 runs.

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Wasim Jaffer:

For a batsman who has nearly 20000 first-class runs, Wasim Jaffer could hardly accumulate the same number of runs in his Test career. In only his second first-class fixture, the Mumbai batsman mustered a triple-hundred and made his international debut in 2000. It was only in 2006 that his first Test hundred took place.

Jaffer kept giving credible performances against West Indies and Pakistan in 2006 and 2007 respectively. However, the selectors’ witnessed him as too old and slow. The opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir faring prolifically permanently closed the doors on Wasim Jaffer.

After 14 years of first-class cricket, the 42-year old retired in 2020, having amassed 19410 runs in 260 games. While his 31 Tests, produced 1944 runs at 34.10. A couple of ODIs from Wasim Jaffer produced only ten runs.

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Yuvraj Singh:

Former middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh had a highly fulfilling limited-overs career. Across 362 fixtures in ODIs and T20Is, the left-handed batsman scored 9878 runs and also took 139 scalps. He was also a polarising figure in India’s triumph in the 2007 World T20 and 2011 50-over World Cup.

In contrast, the all-rounder’s Test career wasn’t as fulfilling. Yuvraj Singh mainly struggled against quality spin-bowling and swinging deliveries in the longest version. The 40 Tests produced 1900 runs at 33.92 with three Test centuries.

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Suresh Raina:

Even after scoring a century on Test debut, Suresh Raina’s red-ball career didn’t take off on a promising note. After scoring 120 and 62 in his first Test, the southpaw managed only 586 runs in the next 17. He didn’t put on the whites after the Sydney Test in 2015 in which Raina grabbed a pair.

However, his limited-overs career wasn’t anything short of excellent. As a lower middle-order batsman, Suresh Raina crafted several useful cameos, playing the role of a typical finisher, boasting of strike rates of 93.50 and 134.87 in ODIs and T20Is respectively. The 33-year old is also the first Indian batsman to msuter a T20 century. As of 2018, Raina played his last game for the national team.

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VVS Laxman:

VVS Laxman’s name has become synonymous with Test cricket and his innings of 281 against Australia in 2001 showed why enforcing follow-on could be precarious. It was that knock which gave the right-handed batsman’s career a new lifeline from where he didn’t look back.

He was a part of a star-studded Indian middle-order in Tests, having played 134 of them and accumulating 8781 runs at 45.5. The 45-year old also featured in 86 ODIs, having scored 2338 runs with six centuries. However, Laxman’s strike rate of 71.24 meant that he was dumped for better candidates for the format.

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