Often, not many cricketers are able to sustain their brilliant start to their international career and fade away soon after either due to loss of form or because of injuries. Despite stunning performances at the beginning, they are all but forgotten, and here we look at five such cricketers who fizzled away after a stellar few seasons.
Narendra Hirwani:
The leg-spinner started with a bang, as he took 16 wickets in his Test debut against West Indies at Madras in 1987-88. He cemented his place in the side and took 20 more wickets in his next three Tests for India, However, once he travelled abroad - where the pitches did not suit his style of bowling - he was exposed. He could never really find his magic after that and ended his career with 66 wickets in 17 games at an average of 30.10. The arrival of Anil Kumble further pushed his career into oblivion, and Hirwani was left to warm the benches thereafter. However, he still has the best figures on debut by any cricketer.
Jason Krejza:
Very few off-spinners from Australia have made a mark in the cricketing world, but it seemed like Krejza would do just that when he picked up 12 wickets on his Test debut against India in 2008. However, his Test career stalled thereafter, and he was given only one chance more to wear the Baggy Green. His form in domestic cricket declined, and he was left without a contract as Tasmania revoked his services. Krejza, hence, is best remembered for his fighting spirit at Nagpur, where he forced the Indians to offer a stroke to the ball. He spun the deliveries and extracted bounce to pick up 12 wickets but went for 358 runs in the process as well. He was in the team for the 2011 World Cup, but could not contribute.
Fawad Alam:
Alam was yet another cricketer who shone before vanishing from the cricketing field. He made his debut in 2009 and scored only 16 in the first innings as Pakistan were all out for only 90 against Sri Lanka. However, he turned the tables with a well fought 168 in the second innings, to become the first cricketer from the country to score a hundred on debut away from home. However, he was dropped only two games later, and though he did play 38 ODIs at an average of 40.25, he was not in the fray for selected in Tests surprisingly.
Joginder Sharma:
The 2007 T20 World Cup triumph is best remembered by the Indian fans for it announced the coming of MS Dhoni. However, there was another player whose name is simultaneously mentioned when the tournament is spoken about - Joginder Sharma. Entrusted with bowling the final over of the finals, when Pakistan needed 13 runs. A wide and a six later, the fate looked all but sealed for India, but a leading edge from the bat of Misbah ul Haq that found the hands of Sreesanth ensured that India won the maiden T20 Cup. Joginder Sharma was a nation-wide hero as India won the game by five runs. However, it was the last T20I that he ever played.
