5 promising Indian cricketers whose career faded away

Vinod Kambli

A Test career that promised so much ended after just 17 Tests

When you score you first ball in Ranji Trophy for a six, become the first Indian to score two Test double tons in a row against two different teams and scored four centuries in his first seven Tests, you expect to play more than 17 Tests. Especially when you consider that in those 17 Tests he averaged 54.20 (the best for any Indian with over 1,000 runs).

With nearly 10,000 runs at an average of 60, including 35 centuries, Vinod Kambli certainly managed to showcase longevity in the first-class arena. Even in his all too brief Test career, he had plenty of highs, including smashing Shane Warne for 22 runs. But he only played 17 Tests, despite his incredible track record.

Although he played over 100 ODIs, he was never as prolific in that format and a combination of several issues meant that he played his last Test for India at the age of 23. Some considered him to be more talented than Sachin Tendulkar but his lack of application in the longest format meant he became a poster child for a wasted genius.