Indian players who missed the most Tests before making a comeback

#2 Abhinav Mukund (56 Tests)

A talented left-hander who went down the pecking order after making his Test debut in 2011, Mukund, who has been the ‘replacement-guy’ for years now, has been called in as cover whenever a regular opener is injured. He made his debut in the same Test as Virat Kohli, but suffered a completely contrasting journey, not managing a single appearance after five Test matches in 2011. A strong off side player with the ability to find gaps with ease, Mukund couldn’t make a recall after Shikhar Dhawan sealed the other opening spot after scoring a whirlwind 187 in 2013.

A strong domestic season earned him a recall to the Indian Test squad after a period of six years, after the selectors had tried everyone from Shikhar Dhawan to Gautam Gambhir. His comeback didn’t turn out to be as expected in the first innings, falling to a full toss from Mitchell Starc with just 11 runs without opening his account.