5 great Indian fast-bowlers whose careers were ruined by injuries
The Indian team has had a rich history when it comes to producing gifted bowlers. While the majority of them have been spinners, the pacers have also had their say.
That said, being a pacer, especially in the demanding red-ball cricket, is among the toughest tasks in India. They only have a short time or spell to prove their worth and to create an impact before the spinners take over.
Even overseas, their life does not get any easier. Since the conditions work in their favor, they often have to bowl long spells and push their limits.
In the day and age of workload management and the presence of three formats and franchise cricket, injuries are a constant factor. While every bowler has an inevitable and lifelong battle with injuries, some blows never tend to vanish completely, and hamper the career of the bowler as a whole.
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Jasprit Bumrah is one such name who is struggling to shake off his injury woes. A world-class bowler, the right-arm pacer has got everything that it takes to succeed across the three formats. Unfortunately for Bumrah, however, he is often held back by his body.
Bowling relentlessly has taken a toll on him; he has not played for the last seven months, and his return is not even on the cards.
Should injuries get the better of Bumrah, to the extent that he has to either sacrifice a format or cut short his career, he will join the ranks of several bowlers who have had injuries dictate their longevity.
Let's take a look at five Indian pacers whose careers were ruined due to injuries.
1. Ashish Nehra
The left-arm seamer came into the Indian side at the age of 20. He was a vital part of the Sourav Ganguly-John Wright set up in the early 2000s but was constantly riddled with injuries.
During an interview, Nehra mentioned that he had 12 surgeries over the course of his career to treat his recurring injuries. He mustered a late comeback, following a successful Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2014, and made it to the T20 World Cup 2016 squad as well.
Nehra proceeded to retire after appearing in 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 27 T20Is. While his career spanned 18 years, his appearances were cut ridiculously short due to injuries.
2. Irfan Pathan
Touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, especially from the all-rounder's perspective, Irfan Pathan made a brilliant start to his career. He served as an ideal new-ball bowler with his ability to swing the ball, and was also capable of batting anywhere in the order.
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Pathan's pace and ability to swing, however, drastically decreased as injuries piled up. From an assured place in the playing XI, he fizzled out to a member on the bench and eventually off the scheme of things altogether.
The all-rounder himself admits that injuries and the workload dragged him down considerably. He ended his career after appearing in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 24 T20Is.
3. Varun Aaron
The right-arm pacer was India's fastest bowler at one point in time. Aaron was touted as India's reply to other nations producing speedsters on a regular basis. He was poised for big things given his ability to hit the 150 kmph mark consistently, with a maximum speed of 153.4 kmph.
However, a series of stress fractures derailed Aaron's career. During that timeframe, several other pacers made their mark and secured their places in the squad, making Aaron's comeback complicated.
He has made a handful of appearances in the IPL and plays on the domestic circuit as well, but he no longer has the old venom he once had.
Aaron ended up only making nine Test and nine ODI appearances in national colors. His last international fixture came against South Africa in 2015.
4. Munaf Patel
The World Cup-winning pacer was a prodigal talent and made quite a name for himself before even making his first-class debut. His international career only spanned five years, from his debut in 2006 to 2011.
Munaf Patel played in the IPL and domestic circuit before retiring from all forms of cricket in 2018. He has appeared in 13 Tests and 70 ODIs and his last appearance came during the tour of England in 2011.
Recurring injuries prevented him from getting onto the next level. By the time he got his fitness back, he was too far down the pecking order.
5. Zaheer Khan
The left-arm pacer is among the greatest pacers produced by India and he had quite an impactful career. Despite all the glory, however, injuries troubled him for a huge portion of his career.
Zaheer Khan came is as a raw talent with incredible pace as well. He had to cut down on his pace due to injuries, but still managed to make an impact as the spearhead of the bowling unit.
In an interview with PTI he once said:
“You don’t have any control over injuries and it’s something you take in stride and that’s what I have done all through my career. I always have been saying… you can only control the controllables and if you are injured you can’t do anything about it and have to move on. The fact I have been making comebacks and responding to injuries (rehabilitation) well is something which I am really proud of."
Who are some of the other Indian pacers whose careers were ruined due to injuries? Let us know what you think.