Eleven Cricketers With Highest Dismissals During Nervous 90s In Test cricket

Cricket is a game of focus and concentration. No matter for how long a player is batting, if he takes his eyes off the ball even for a fraction of a second, he might pay a hefty price in the form of his wicket. The game has witnessed several instances where players had to return to pavilion even after being well settled. There can be several reasons behind it.

Being nervous or pressure can be one reason while losing concentration after playing for so long can be another. The instances of players getting out just before reaching a century is so common that the cricketing fraternity has even coined a term called ‘nervous 90s’.

So here take a look at the top eleven cricketers who got dismissed in the 90s on the highest number of occasions.

11. Rohan Kanhai:

Rohan Kanhai is one of the most celebrated batsmen in the history of the game. He represented West Indies with utmost aplomb for 17 years between 1957 and 1974 . During his illustrious career, the right-handed batsman amassed over 6,000 runs at an average of 47. He also scored 28 fifties and 15 centuries. Well, the century-tally could have been much more had he not become a victim of the nervous 90s.

The great West Indian ended up between 90 and 100 on six occasions.

10. Clem Hill:

The former Australian batsman ranked among the finest cricketers in the world during a long period.  Hill’s enormous talent was witnessed when just at 16, he put together the remarkable score of 360 in an Inter-College match at Adelaide. This was the highest innings hit in Australia at that time.

He lived up to the hype in international cricket too, representing Australia in 49 Tests. He scored 3412 runs with the help of 19 fifties and 7 centuries. But despite being technically so sound, even he could not cross the nervous 90s barrier on as many as six occasions.

9. Alastair Cook:

The only active player in this list, Cook needs no introduction. One of the greatest-ever Test players from England, the left-handed batsman is the leading run-scorer for his country in the longest format. He started his career with a bang, scoring a century against India in the tough conditions of Nagpur. Well, the century was the precursor of the things that were to follow as the southpaw went on to create his own legacy.

So far, he has 12,145 runs in 156 Tests with the help of 32 hundreds and 50 fifties.  He ended his innings in the 90s on seven occasions.

8. Matthew Hayden:

Another great Test player, Hayden enjoyed an unparalleled career in international cricket. The giant opener was nothing less than a terror for the opposition. In his illustrious career, he amassed over 8,000 runs in 103 Tests with the help of 30 centuries and 29 fifties. His highest score of 380 was once the highest in Tests before being broken by the great Brian Lara.

30 centuries and 29 fifties pretty much shows that Hayden had a good conversion rate. However, he also fell prey to the nervous 90s on as many as 7 occasions.

7. Inzamam-ul-Haq:

One of the greatest-ever batsman to represent Pakistan, Inzamam made a name for himself with his sound technique. His brilliant style helped him enjoy a highly successful career in international cricket. The right-handed batsman amassed 8830 in 120 matches at an average of almost 50. He also smashed 25 centuries and 46 fifties.

The former Pakistan skipper ended his innings in the 90s on 8 occasions.

6. AB de Villiers:

The South African great recently retired from the game after enjoying a very successful career. One of the greatest batsmen of all time, de Villiers was a menace for the bowlers. Irrespective of pitches and conditions, the Proteas star made life difficult for bowlers with his wide array of shots.

De Villiers appeared in 114 test matches for South Africa, scoring 8675 runs at an average of 50.66. He has scored 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries. For a batsman who took the bowlers to the cleaners, crossing the 90s would have been a cakewalk. However, de Villiers too suffered from it as he was dismissed in the 90s on eight occasions.

5. Alvin Kallicharran:

Kallicharan was one of the most technically sound batsmen of his generation. His balance, orthodoxy, wide array of shots off either foot made him a tough nut to crack. An average of over 44,  4,399 runs, 12 centuries and 21 fifties in 66-Test career very much shows he enjoyed a stellar career. However, even the great West Indian could not avoid falling prey to the nervous 90s syndrome.

He ended up in 90s on 8 occasions.

4. Michael Slater:

Michael Slater played in 74 test matches for Australia. He scored over 5,000 runs at an impressive average of 42.84. During his international career, he amassed 14 centuries. The figure could have been much better had he not missed out on several other occasions due to nervous 90s.

Known for his attacking style, Slater got out on nine occasions in the 90s in the longest format of the game.

3.  Sachin Tendulkar:

The most decorated batsman in the history of the game, Tendulkar scored a staggering 100 tons in international cricket. The legendary batsman is the holder of almost every major batting record. However, even he could not get past the nervous 90s on as many as 10 occasions.

During his illustrious career which spanned well over 2 decades, he played a record 200 Tests. He scored a record 15,921 runs with the help of 51 centuries and 68 fifties.

2. Rahul Dravid:

That even Rahul Dravid is in this list pretty much sums up how much concentration is needed to excel in this game. The former India batsman is one of the most technically sound batsman in the history of the game who earned the nickname ‘The Wall’ for being rock solid in front of the stumps. His career figures make it clear that he enjoyed a distinct career in international cricket.

He represented India in 164 Tests, scoring 13,288 runs with the help of 36 centuries and 63 hundreds. During his illustrious career, he ended up in 90s on 10 occasions.

1. Steve Waugh:

One of the most successful captains of all time, Waugh also enjoyed a very successful career as a batsman. He played 168 Tests, scoring 10927 runs at an outstanding average of 51.06. In addition, the right-handed batsman also scored 32 centuries in the longest format of  the game.

But despite being so strong mentally and experienced, Waugh could not avoid the curse of the nervous 90s. The former Australia skipper ended his innings in the 90s on a record 10 occasions. He got dismissed on eight of those and remained not out on 2 occasions.