5 experienced players could not punch the world cup ticket

It is a fact that there is no bigger tournament in world cricket than the 50-over World Cup. Every cricketer dreams not only to be a part of the mega event but also achieve success. There have been many cricketers from all over the globe who have had the privilege of donning their national jersey and take part in the World Cup. But only a few of them have managed to taste success in the aforementioned tournament.

Similarly, there have been some really unfortunate players who have never got a chance to represent their country in the World Cup despite being capable enough to do so. Some of them are labelled as “Test specialists” and are not given adequate chances in the 50-over format. A few of them are being sidelined for their lack of fitness and agility and are replaced by the shorter format specialists.

Here are 5 prolific cricketers who were close but could not punch the World Cup ticket

1. Alistair Cook

The top-order batsman from Gloucester made his Test debut in 2006 against India in India and started his Test career with a century. Within 12 years of his playing career, he represented England in 161 Test matches. Alistair Cook is the leading run-scorer for England in the longer format with 12,472 runs at an average of more than 45. The southpaw has also been a part of a few successful Ashes campaign captaining his side. He played his last Test in 2018 and ended his career on a high, scoring a century against India.

However, he played only 92 ODI matches for England and scored 3,204 runs at a decent average of 36.41 with 5 centuries under his belt. Cook was a slow starter and was a player who relied more on timing than the powerful hits. Perhaps, that is the reason why he never made it to the World Cup despite having a decent average.