Hot? Not
Like Mitchell Johnson they went into series accompanied by great expectations, only to flounder. We look at XI promise breakers from the last 30 years
Sidharth Monga
30-Jul-2009
It all gets a bit too much for Harmison in Brisbane in 2006 • Getty Images
Shane Warne v India in 1998-99
Australia's 1997-98 tour of India was to be the contest between arguably the best bowler and the best batsman in the world. It seemed to be going Warne's way when he had Sachin Tendulkar caught at first slip with a perfect legbreak on the first morning of the first Test. That 4 for 85 was to be Warne's last really fruitful day of the series. Retaliation came as early as the second innings, when Tendulkar ravaged his way to 155 not out to set up a win for India. On pitches that less-celebrated Indian spinners enjoyed in their time, Warne went for 1 for 122 and 0 for 147 in successive innings. His overall figures of 10 for 540 would have been worse but for the spell on the first morning. By the time he was done with India in the one-dayers and the Sharjah tri-series that followed Warne confessed to having nightmares about Tendulkar hitting him for sixes.
Australia's 1997-98 tour of India was to be the contest between arguably the best bowler and the best batsman in the world. It seemed to be going Warne's way when he had Sachin Tendulkar caught at first slip with a perfect legbreak on the first morning of the first Test. That 4 for 85 was to be Warne's last really fruitful day of the series. Retaliation came as early as the second innings, when Tendulkar ravaged his way to 155 not out to set up a win for India. On pitches that less-celebrated Indian spinners enjoyed in their time, Warne went for 1 for 122 and 0 for 147 in successive innings. His overall figures of 10 for 540 would have been worse but for the spell on the first morning. By the time he was done with India in the one-dayers and the Sharjah tri-series that followed Warne confessed to having nightmares about Tendulkar hitting him for sixes.
Rahul Dravid v Australia in 1999-00
Tough Australian pitches, a team starting their world domination, and a quality attack to face: Dravid was rightfully the pivotal man in the Indian line-up. He had done well in tough conditions elsewhere, and as a batsman and technician this was his final frontier… where he proceeded to stumble spectacularly. It was three Tests of intense struggle, with Dravid looking like half the batsman he was. He batted at Nos 3, 4 and 3 in three Tests, but his fortunes didn't change with his place in the order. After 93 runs in his six innings, off 368 deliveries, his average had fallen from 52.68 to 48.69, and India had lost 0-3.
Tough Australian pitches, a team starting their world domination, and a quality attack to face: Dravid was rightfully the pivotal man in the Indian line-up. He had done well in tough conditions elsewhere, and as a batsman and technician this was his final frontier… where he proceeded to stumble spectacularly. It was three Tests of intense struggle, with Dravid looking like half the batsman he was. He batted at Nos 3, 4 and 3 in three Tests, but his fortunes didn't change with his place in the order. After 93 runs in his six innings, off 368 deliveries, his average had fallen from 52.68 to 48.69, and India had lost 0-3.
Greg Chappell v West Indies in 1981-82
Chappell went into the home series against West Indies as perhaps the leading batsman in the world - certainly in Australia - with an average of 54.77, and three double-centuries to his name in the previous 18 months. The immediate past was not rosy, though, with two ducks in successive ODIs, but surely the Tests would be different? It was not to be: against the West Indies pace quartet Chappell struggled through the series. He made a golden duck on the first morning, and managed a total of 86 runs in three Tests. Michael Holding got him out four times. His 61 in the final Test, his best innings in several weeks, according to Wisden, was not enough to avert a defeat, which led to the series being squared.
Chappell went into the home series against West Indies as perhaps the leading batsman in the world - certainly in Australia - with an average of 54.77, and three double-centuries to his name in the previous 18 months. The immediate past was not rosy, though, with two ducks in successive ODIs, but surely the Tests would be different? It was not to be: against the West Indies pace quartet Chappell struggled through the series. He made a golden duck on the first morning, and managed a total of 86 runs in three Tests. Michael Holding got him out four times. His 61 in the final Test, his best innings in several weeks, according to Wisden, was not enough to avert a defeat, which led to the series being squared.
Graeme Hick v India and Pakistan in 1996
Once upon a time Hick was not all about the gloriously unfulfilled promise we know him for now. After having successfully recovered from a disastrous start to his career, he could have become a third of a formidable middle order, with Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe coming into their own. But when India toured in 1996, the runs dried up completely for Hick, only 35 of them coming in four innings. Although he managed to keep his place, Pakistan finished what India started. After Waqar Younis cleaned him up twice at Lord's, Hick was on his way out.
Once upon a time Hick was not all about the gloriously unfulfilled promise we know him for now. After having successfully recovered from a disastrous start to his career, he could have become a third of a formidable middle order, with Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe coming into their own. But when India toured in 1996, the runs dried up completely for Hick, only 35 of them coming in four innings. Although he managed to keep his place, Pakistan finished what India started. After Waqar Younis cleaned him up twice at Lord's, Hick was on his way out.
Dennis Lillee v Pakistan in 1979-80
By the time he went to Pakistan for his first full series outside Australia, England and New Zealand, Lillee had got used to taking a wicket every eight overs, and was well on his way to becoming the leading wicket-taker in the world. All that didn't matter in Pakistan, where he bowled 60 overs in the first two Tests without success. In the third, when he did finally manage wickets, he had to bowl 42 overs for three of them. Pakistan won the series 1-0.
By the time he went to Pakistan for his first full series outside Australia, England and New Zealand, Lillee had got used to taking a wicket every eight overs, and was well on his way to becoming the leading wicket-taker in the world. All that didn't matter in Pakistan, where he bowled 60 overs in the first two Tests without success. In the third, when he did finally manage wickets, he had to bowl 42 overs for three of them. Pakistan won the series 1-0.
Mohinder Amarnath v West Indies in 1983-84
In India's only series against the quartet in the West Indies, Amarnath won hearts by standing up to the pace battery, getting hit in the head, retiring hurt, and then hooking the first ball on his return. He scored 598 runs in five Tests in India's 0-2 defeat. Subhash Gupte, who watched the series, said, "They kept bouncing and Mohinder kept hooking." Seven months later, though, when West Indies came calling for the return series, on friendlier pitches, the bowlers were looking for a contest against the man who had won their respect. Instead they found a zombie of a batsman, who managed one run and five ducks in three of the six matches he played. West Indies won 3-0.
In India's only series against the quartet in the West Indies, Amarnath won hearts by standing up to the pace battery, getting hit in the head, retiring hurt, and then hooking the first ball on his return. He scored 598 runs in five Tests in India's 0-2 defeat. Subhash Gupte, who watched the series, said, "They kept bouncing and Mohinder kept hooking." Seven months later, though, when West Indies came calling for the return series, on friendlier pitches, the bowlers were looking for a contest against the man who had won their respect. Instead they found a zombie of a batsman, who managed one run and five ducks in three of the six matches he played. West Indies won 3-0.
Steve Harmison v Australia in 2006-07
An Ashes series always comes with huge anticipation and pressure, especially if you are an Englishman seen to be pivotal to getting the urn back. So it was at the Gabba, where Harmison ran in, flailing the arms that had been instrumental in injuring Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting in the first half hour of the previous Ashes. This time, he bowled a huge wide, setting the tone for a 0-5 whitewash. Harmison managed 10 wickets in the five Tests at a princely cost of 61.40 each.
An Ashes series always comes with huge anticipation and pressure, especially if you are an Englishman seen to be pivotal to getting the urn back. So it was at the Gabba, where Harmison ran in, flailing the arms that had been instrumental in injuring Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting in the first half hour of the previous Ashes. This time, he bowled a huge wide, setting the tone for a 0-5 whitewash. Harmison managed 10 wickets in the five Tests at a princely cost of 61.40 each.
Sanjay Manjrekar v Australia in 1991-92
He had already been hailed as the next Sunil Gavaskar, his father's technical proficiency visible in his batting, and he knew and relished that the opposition spent extra time planning for him. With Kris Srikkanth and Dilip Vengsarkar nearing the end of their careers, and Sachin Tendulkar yet to completely arrive, Manjrekar - along with Mohammad Azharuddin - was India's biggest hope on the Australia tour. But while Manjrekar didn't struggle utterly, he couldn't make a big impact either, failing to make more than 45 in any of the five Tests. India, though, lost the series comprehensively, and Manjrekar was never able to recreate the promise of his early days.
He had already been hailed as the next Sunil Gavaskar, his father's technical proficiency visible in his batting, and he knew and relished that the opposition spent extra time planning for him. With Kris Srikkanth and Dilip Vengsarkar nearing the end of their careers, and Sachin Tendulkar yet to completely arrive, Manjrekar - along with Mohammad Azharuddin - was India's biggest hope on the Australia tour. But while Manjrekar didn't struggle utterly, he couldn't make a big impact either, failing to make more than 45 in any of the five Tests. India, though, lost the series comprehensively, and Manjrekar was never able to recreate the promise of his early days.
Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 2003 World Cup
Inzamam arrived with his scintillating batting in the 1992 World Cup. He was a young tyro then, who had taken the bowlers by surprise. Eleven years later he was on his way to being a great, and was again the key to Pakistan's World Cup hopes. He worked hard in the lead-up, too hard perhaps, losing a raft of weight in a bid to recapture the Inzamam of old. He managed only two runs more than the 17 kilos he lost, and vowed never to go down that route again. "It was too much," he said. "I didn't score any runs without those 17 kilograms." Needless to say, Pakistan crashed out in the first round.
Inzamam arrived with his scintillating batting in the 1992 World Cup. He was a young tyro then, who had taken the bowlers by surprise. Eleven years later he was on his way to being a great, and was again the key to Pakistan's World Cup hopes. He worked hard in the lead-up, too hard perhaps, losing a raft of weight in a bid to recapture the Inzamam of old. He managed only two runs more than the 17 kilos he lost, and vowed never to go down that route again. "It was too much," he said. "I didn't score any runs without those 17 kilograms." Needless to say, Pakistan crashed out in the first round.
India's spin trio v Pakistan in 1978-79
When India went to Pakistan in 1978-79, they relied as usual on their spin trio (not quartet: the four played only one Test together). Majid Khan, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Mudassar Nazar, Wasim Bari, Mushtaq Mohammad and Imran Khan were a difficult line-up to bowl to as Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna discovered. Between them the three managed 16 wickets for 1082 runs, as India lost 0-2. It marked the beginning of the end for the three greats.
When India went to Pakistan in 1978-79, they relied as usual on their spin trio (not quartet: the four played only one Test together). Majid Khan, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Mudassar Nazar, Wasim Bari, Mushtaq Mohammad and Imran Khan were a difficult line-up to bowl to as Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna discovered. Between them the three managed 16 wickets for 1082 runs, as India lost 0-2. It marked the beginning of the end for the three greats.
Shoaib Akhtar v Australia in 1999-00
Before Dravid was tormented in Australia, a young tyro was brought down to earth. Leading up to the series, Shoaib had stunned Sachin Tendulkar and Dravid with his yorkers in a Test in Kolkata, and made life difficult for the batsmen in the 1999 World Cup. He was the most talked-about commodity going into the series, but the Australians loved his pace on their hard, true pitches. His 93 overs went at 4.36 per, and yielded only six wickets as Australia whitewashed Pakistan.
Before Dravid was tormented in Australia, a young tyro was brought down to earth. Leading up to the series, Shoaib had stunned Sachin Tendulkar and Dravid with his yorkers in a Test in Kolkata, and made life difficult for the batsmen in the 1999 World Cup. He was the most talked-about commodity going into the series, but the Australians loved his pace on their hard, true pitches. His 93 overs went at 4.36 per, and yielded only six wickets as Australia whitewashed Pakistan.
Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo