Five Indian Cricketers Who Have Played In World Cups But Not Tests

The Cricket World Cup is undoubtedly one of the grandest stages for cricketers, whether rookie or experienced ones. To represent and make a telling impact for their nation in an ICC mega event significantly rises the stocks of the player. It also gives the player plenty of confidence for the upcoming challenges.

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Yet, in the Indian setup, there exist a handful of cricketers, who have not received a Test cap despite representing the national team in World Cups. It could be due to their ordinary first-class record or too many cricketers vying for the same position. The list also includes present athletes, who have declared their intention to don the whites and might get to in the near future.

We take a look at five Indian cricketers who have played World Cups, but not Test cricket:

Dinesh Mongia:

Dinesh Mongia played for India between 2001-2007 in 58 games across ODIs and T20Is, of which 57 were One-day internationals. While Dinesh Mongia was not the most effective player, he crafted some useful knocks at the lower-middle order. He was part of the 2003 World Cup, playing all the matches. The 43-year old was the top-scorer in India’s first T20 international back in 2006 against South Africa.

Mongia’s first-class career spanned across 121 games, mustering 8038 runs alongside 46 scalps. In those 8038 runs, the southpaw hammered 27 tons at 48.95, despite which he could not get even shot at Tests. In September 2019, the Chandigarh-born all-rounder retired from all forms of cricket.

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Kedar Jadhav:

Present-day cricketer Kedar Jadhav also makes it to the list. Kedar Jadhav represented the national team in the 2019 World Cup during which he managed 80 runs in five matches. So far, he has played 82 games for India, of which 73 are ODIs. In 73 fixtures, Jadhav has slammed 1389 runs at an imposing average of 42.06.

While the veteran all-rounder’s home and away record in ODIs is handy, his recent performances have not been up to the mark. He last played for India in the second ODI on the tour of New Zealand, managing only nine runs. With the ball, the 35-year old can be relied upon to break stubborn partnerships.

Kedar Jadhav’s first-class record is decent as well. In 78 fixtures, he has 5166 runs at 45.71 with 14 centuries. With age not on his side, it remains highly unlikely that he would receive a Test debut moving forward.

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Yusuf Pathan:

Yusuf Pathan made his name through the IPL as a genuine hard-hitting batsman lower down the order. While Yusuf Pathan made his international debut in the 2007 ICC World T20 final, opening the innings alongside Gautam Gambhir, it was only in the inaugural IPL season that the world witnessed his prowess. He was part of the 2011 World Cup squad too, playing six matches and managing 74 runs.

The 37-year old scored 435 runs in the 2008 edition with four fifty-plus scores, including one in the final, maintaining a strike rate of 179. Pathan mustered a hundred two years later and found a regular place in the national team. Yusuf has so far played 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is, during which he smashed two 50-over tons.

However, post-2010, he became highly inconsistent with technical difficulties exposing his gameplay. The all-rounder played his last international game in 2012 but continued to play IPL and first-class cricket. Pathan’s first-class career entails mowing 4825 runs in 100 fixtures at 34.46 while also taking 201 wickets.

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Robin Uthappa:

Robin Uthappa is one of the classiest batsmen in the Indian domestic circuit, capable of playing in top and middle-order. While Robin Uthappa boasts of a luxurious first-class record, he has remained inconsistent in internationals. The keeper-batsman was part of the 2007 World Cup that ended disastrously for India.

But he also remained in the scheme of things for India’s campaign when they lifted the inaugural T20 trophy later that year. Uthappa played 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is for India the last of which came in 2015, debuting in 2006. Despite India’s Test side remaining inconsistent that time, the Karnataka batsman could not don the whites. In the first-class circuit, the 34-year old has nearly 9000 runs at 40.71 with 22 tons.

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Yuzvendra Chahal:

Yuzvendra Chahal is the only candidate on this list, who could perhaps grab a Test spot in the future. Yuzvendra Chahal burst into the international scene in 2016, but effectively cemented his place in the limited-overs side after the 2017 Champions Trophy. Along with Kuldeep Yadav, the leggie has put several batting line-ups through a world of trouble, especially in the middle-overs.

Chahal was part of the 2019 World Cup, taking 12 wickets in eight matches, including a scalp in the semi-final. In first-class cricket, the 29-year old has 84 wickets in 31 games at 33.21, which is a decent record. However, he has to go a level up to stake his claim ahead of the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav for a Test berth.

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