3 ODI Superstars who failed in the Test cricket
Cricket has gained massive popularity in the last decade, probably because of the advent of the T20 format.
However, Test cricket, the oldest and purest version of the game, can never go out of fashion. It is the ultimate test of a cricketer's character, technique, skill, resilience and fortitude.
More often than not, it gives equal opportunity to both the bowlers and batsmen to showcase their skills and have an impact on the game. Moreover, time is not a constraint in this particular format of the sport.
The game of cricket has witnessed some an enormous amount of talent come through to the international level over the years. These talented cricketers have not only taken the game to a higher level but have also been a source of inspiration for aspiring athletes across the globe.
Some of these incredibly talented players have been successful in all the three formats of the game, while others have failed to make a mark everywhere, but have managed to be successful in at least one format.
Here are three such players who succeeded in the shorter formats of the game but could never make it big in the Test arena.
#3 Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina is one of the finest white-ball cricketers to have played play for India. Since his debut in 2005, the left-hander was a regular feature in the Indian one-day side and his talent with the bat is well-renowned across the globe.
Raina has scored 5615 runs in ODI cricket at an impressive average of 35.31 and a strong strike rate of 93.51.
However, the Uttar Pradesh batsman failed to cement his place in the test squad, as a string of low scores pushed him out of the longest format of the game.
He averages merely 26.5 with the bat in international red-ball cricket.
#2 Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan is unarguably one of the best finishers to be produced in the shorter formats of cricket.
He gave numerous match-winning performances for Australia in the 50-over format. The right-hander scored 6912 runs for the kangaroos at a staggering average of 53.40 over an ODI career that lasted a decade.
However, Bevan could not establish himself as a Test batsman and managed to score just 785 runs in the 18 test matches he played for Australia, averaging just 29.40.
Moreover, the star-studded playing XI that they boasted of in his era made it even tougher for him to make a case for himself in the oldest format of the game.