Cricketers Who Deserved Better Careers:There have been many cricketers who lit up the sporting arena during their playing days. They were arguably the most talented players of their sides. Cricket fans used to enjoy watching these heroes play the game. These cricketers made a solid impact on the game. They played the sport in the right spirit.
The only grouse that people had with these cricketers was that they didn’t get to explore their full potential. Many of their careers were short-lived owing to various reasons.
We look at cricketers who deserved better careers:
#4 Neil Johnson
If anyone who would have watched the 1999 World Cup will know this name. Neil Johnson was a brilliant player. He was one of the rare all-rounders who opened both batting and bowling. It was his heroics that helped Zimbabwe shock South Africa in the 1999 World Cup.
He scored an unbeaten 132 against Australia in the super sixes. Johnson was awarded the player of the match despite Zimbabwe finishing on the losing side. It was a pity that he played just 48 ODIs and 13 Tests. He surely had it in him to become one of the game’s better all-rounders.
#3 Damien Martyn
Not many remember but Damien Martyn was the number one ranked ODI batsman in the world for a good period of time. There have been very few players as stylish as Martyn in the game. He had a lot of time to play pace and he was a rare Australian batter during those days who played spin beautifully.
Martyn’s career though pretty much played out the way it did in the 2003 World Cup final. He played second fiddle to Ricky Ponting who blasted a century. Martyn never really got his due in the Australian setup. For someone who played 67 Tests and averaged 46.4, he certainly deserved a better end to his career.
#2 Murray Goodwin
He was another Zimbabwean player who promised so much during his playing days. Murray Goodwin was regarded as one of the finest middle-order batters of his time. In a career that lasted for two years, Goodwin showed what could have been. He played 71 ODIs scoring 2 centuries with a match-winning 112 against West Indies being a highlight.
Goodwin though had better Test numbers as he averaged a respectable 42.8 in 19 Tests scoring 3 centuries. The shaky nature of Zimbabwe’s cricket structure deprived him of a long career.
#1 Vinod Kambli
There can’t be a bigger example than Vinod Kambli to demonstrate how a career could go wrong. Touted to be more talented than his childhood friend, Sachin Tendulkar, Kambli made his debut amidst humungous expectations. Kambli to his credit didn’t disappoint initially. He remains the only player to score two double-centuries in his first two Tests.
Kambli’s Test average (54.2) is the highest among Indians who have scored more than 1,000 runs. But sadly he featured in just 17 Tests. He did play 104 ODIs across 9 years but a man of his talent failed to make the most of it. Kambli got lost in the world of star trappings. He left the game behind which made him one in the first place.
