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Despite being a game of skill and unwavering determination, the historical past of cricket has witnessed a player’s fate play a major role in overshadowing their promising career. Indian cricket has spelled numerous tragic tales of potential players who have seen their triumphs transform into tribulations overnight due to unpredictable circumstances. Over the years, from serious life-threatening injuries to hideous in-game politics, multiple factors have derailed the careers of so many young Indian cricketers. In the annals of Indian cricket, prominent cricketing names like Irfan Pathan, Murali Kartik and Sanju Samson have tasted the heights of cricketing fame but eventually ended up getting sidelined due to an unfortunate twist of fate.
Irfan Pathan
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Former Indian cricketer turned commentator and analyst, Irfan Pathan is widely recognized as an enigmatic all-rounder of his time. Pathan accomplished numerous feats and attained unparalleled heights during his time with the Indian cricket team, yet he ended up falling short of expectations and his cricketing career eventually derailed. According to the critics, Irfan Pathan was overburdened with unrealistic batting expectations, while he was a phenomenal bowler and a dependable all-rounder. Greg Chappell, who served as the head coach of the Indian cricket team from 2005-2007, is often blamed for Irfan Pathan’s derailed performance as he laid all his emphasis on strengthening the batting line-up of India, overlooking the firepower of bowlers. The occasional knocks of overwhelming pressure to perform at the batting end and the never-ending battles with injuries together derailed Pathan’s career in the long run.
Vinod Kambli
Former Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli was often compared to the god of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, for his cricketing prowess and match-winning performances on the field, but unfortunately, he eventually failed to live up to the expectations and his career marked an unprecedented downfall. Kambli’s statistics speak volumes about his cricketing graph. The legendary batsman amassed 1084 runs in 17 test matches and, with 54.20, he maintained the highest test average by an Indian batsman. Additionally, Kambli scored two double centuries in his brief test career, which still serves as a testament of his undefeated potential. However, with time, the upward trend of Kambli’s cricketing career started declining with his involvement in numerous fuming controversies both on and off the field. Kambli developed major alcoholism and was often seen losing his temper with his teammates, which soon ended his cricketing career. In 2019, Vinod Kambli officially announced his retirement from all formats of cricket.
Gurkeerat Singh Mann
Gurkeerat Singh Mann rose to prominence on the domestic cricket circuit in 2011 and later played for the Indian side during the 2016 ODI tour of Australia for three matches. Additionally, Mann has also been an active pick for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has played for massive IPL franchises including Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans. Mann appeared in 41 IPL matches in total and accumulated 511 runs with a decent strike rate of 121. Although Mann was officially a part of the league-winning Gujarat Titans squad in the IPL 2022 season, he wasn’t allowed to perform. Although Mann repressed India at the highest level of international cricket, his inconsistency with maintaining a fierce form derailed his cricketing career. With an official Instagram post, the all-rounder announced his retirement from all formats of cricket in 2023.
Ambati Rayudu
Often regarded as the “ODI specialist” of the Indian cricket team, Ambati Rayudu ended up ruining his extremely promising cricketing career due to his unending disputes and controversies with his teammates and state association. Rayudu was banned by the BCCI in 2018 for two matches for his unethical code of conduct with the umpires during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Karnataka. From being the captain of the India Under-19 team at the 2004 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Ambati Rayudu officially announced his retirement from international cricket after being overlooked during the 2019 World Cup in England. Although Rayudu initially announced his retirement from domestic cricket as well, he later chose to make a U-turn. Rayudu made his star-studded appearances for renowned IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
Manoj Tiwary
Former international cricketer turned politician, Manoj Tiwary currently holds his position as the sports minister of West Bengal. Manoj Tiwary got into numerous controversies during his cricketing career. In an exclusive interview, Manoj Tiwary spilled some beans about the dark reality of the Indian cricket corridor. Tiwary revealed how he was dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad after getting into a heated argument with Gautam Gambhir. Manoj Tiwary played his last Ranji Trophy match against Bihar in the 2024 Ranji Trophy season and retired from playing for Bengal on his favorite ground. Recently, Manoj Tiwary took to his official X account and publicly expressed his bitterness towards the organizing committee of the Ranji Trophy and demanded the prestigious decades-old league be scrapped from the cricketing calendar. Manoj Tiwary was felicitated with a golden bat and a ball memento by the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Snehasish Ganguly, to honor his worthy contributions at the Eden Gardens.
