This list highlights five international cricketers whose promising domestic careers didn’t translate to the global stage. Despite impressive first-class records, players like Chamu Chibhabha, Nasir Jamshed, and James Franklin faced challenges in achieving consistency and impact at the international level, making their careers among the most challenging in cricket history.
5. Hamish Rutherford
Rutherford’s international career spanned 16 Tests, 4 ODIs, and 8 T20s, but he struggled to find success across these formats, maintaining an average below 25. While he managed a respectable 7,461 runs in 119 first-class games, his international performance as a New Zealand opening batsman fell short of expectations, limiting his impact on the global stage.
4. Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra debuted for India in a 2003 Test against New Zealand, known as a classical opener with strong first-class performances. However, his international career didn’t match up, with an average of 23 across 10 Tests. His technical limitations were swiftly exploited by opposition bowlers, leading to a short international stint. Due to inconsistent performances, selectors eventually overlooked him, marking an early end to his time with the national team.
3. James Franklin
James Franklin, a New Zealand bowling all-rounder, played over 150 international games but struggled to make an impact, averaging below 20 with the bat across all formats. While he found success domestically, scoring 9,780 runs in 206 first-class matches, his international performances fell short. These challenges at the highest level of the game often place him among the less successful cricketers on the international stage.
2. Nasir Jamshed
Pakistani opener Nasir Jamshed garnered significant hype early in his career but struggled to meet expectations on the international stage. His Test batting average remained below 15, and he averaged under 32 in ODIs and T20Is. These underwhelming stats have often placed him among the more disappointing performers in international cricket.
1. Chamu Chibhabha
Zimbabwean all-rounder Chamu Chibhabha ranks first on this list of challenging careers in cricket. Debuting in ODIs in 2005 against New Zealand, Chibhabha’s international statistics are puzzling. Despite playing nearly 150 international matches, he managed only 3,209 runs, which left fans and analysts questioning his overall impact at the top level.