The Kapil Dev Problem for India: 5 all-rounders who perished without ‘fulfilling’ the promise

4. Sunil Joshi

Stats: 1 half-century and 1 five-wicket haul in Tests; 1 fifty and 1 five-wicket haul in ODIs; highest score in Tests 92; best ODI bowling figure 5 for 6

A gentleman cricketer in all aspect, Sunil Joshi had the potential to become a spinner all-rounder for India at a time when there was none but he somehow failed to rise to the occasion. Joshi never had any charisma and neither one would say he was as gifted a talent as some of his teammates. But the left-arm spinner’s signature was his hard work and perseverance and it is unfortunate that India could not utilize his potential beyond 15 Tests and 69 ODIs.

Joshi was one of those unlucky bowlers who could not bowl in his debut Test against England in Birmingham in 1996 but he is also remembered for his magnificent contribution in the Test that India played against Bangladesh in 2000, as the latter’s first. Joshi took 8 wickets in the match including a five-for and also scored 92 in the first innings to help India win and bag the man of the match award. Had Joshi managed to score a hundred, he would have equaled a rare feat held by two of India’s finest cricketers from yesteryears – Vinoo Mankad and Polly Umrigar.

His five for six runs in 10 overs against South Africa in Nairobi in 1999 is one of the best spells in ODIs while his gritty 48 against a formidable Australian side in the 1996 Singer World Series after India were reduced to 89 for 6 are indicators that the man had the potential to become a handy all-rounder at No.7 – often considered a premier slot for bowling all-rounders.

Joshi was not considered again for a Test match after India played Zimbabwe the same month when they played Bangladesh, which suggests that his all-around performance against the debutants was not really considered a yardstick, something the then captain Sourav Ganguly had said. The humble man, who is an inspiration to several players in his home state Karnataka, was just 30 then and it was all over for him on the international stage.