Cricket World Cup History: 4 popular cricketers who never played a World Cup
The biggest tournament in cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup has entered its 12th edition with ten teams in the contest. Hosted by England and Wales, this year, a total of 48 matches will be played with the final taking place on the 14th of July at the prestigious Lord’s. There has been a significant change in the format, with each team playing every other team once in the league stage.Popularly termed as the 'Round Robi', in this, the top 4 from this stage will make it to the semis.
Even though England, India, and Australia are the favorites to win the trophy, other teams would definitely make life difficult for them. The 1991 World Cup and the 1996 World Cup are some big examples of such turnarounds.
The thin line between competing and winning is about making the most of the opportunities that are provided. To represent your country on such a big stage is a privilege. But there have been instances in the past where some of the best cricketers failed to make it to the World Cup squad. Here is a list of them:
#1 VVS Laxman:
VVS Laxman was the backbone of Indian batting during the late 90s and early 2000s. He was one of the prime reasons for India enjoying ample success in the longer format. He represented India in 134 Tests scoring 8,781 runs at an average of 45.5. He was known for his wristy style of play which enabled him to score heavily on the leg side. With all the success he enjoyed, one thing that he wasn’t able to accomplish was to play for his country on the big stage.
He was one of the few players to have played more than 100 Tests and not play a single World Cup game. Even though he had all the skills that were needed, he failed to perform consistently at a quicker rate in the limited overs. He managed only 2338 runs in 86 ODIs with an average of just above 30. The younger generation stepped up with his ODI career diminishing.
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