Getting dropped from a match during any cricket series is quite common for any cricketer. Sometimes injuries become the reason while sometimes it’s the bad form which a player goes through. Sometimes some players need to be rested or sometimes the ground conditions don’t allow a player to be the part of the playing XI and other players are given a chance.
However, there are instances when a player himself came up with an unusual reason for not playing a match. Here we list 5 such cricketers, who missed a game due to some strange reasons:
1. Jimmy Adams – West Indies
Jimmy Adams/ Photo: HT
Jimmy Adams, former West Indies once had to miss an entire series due to an unexpected and bizarre reason. Back in 1998/99, West Indies team was on their way to South Africa, Adam cut his hand badly with a butter knife. The impact of the cut was so intense that he had 3 stitches in his hand.
As a result, he couldn’t play a single match and was out of the team for the entire tour.
2. Chris Lewis – England
Chris Lewis/ Photo: mirro.co.uk
Former English pacer Chris Lewis once missed a game against West Indies as he suffered a sunstroke. Back in the year 1994, England visited West Indies for a bilateral series. Due to excessive heat in the Carribean, Lewis decided to shave his head. However, the biggest mistake he committed was he played without a cap or hat on his head.
His hatless appearance in the noon-time made him pay a heavy price as he suffered a sunstroke and he couldn’t play a tour match against the Antigua XI
3. Gautam Gambhir – India
Gautam Gambhir/ Photo: Indian Express
In the year 2009, Gambhir decided to leave a Test match against Sri Lanka due to personal reasons. That was the time when he was at the peak of his Test career and he got four centuries in four consecutive games.
Gambhir needed to attend his sister’s wedding. It was the 3rd Tests against Sri Lanka. Later, the Indian cricket board approved Gambhir’s leave however, he had to face criticism as well from a few former India cricketers.
4. Ted Dexter – England
Ted Dexter/ Photo: Aichetron
Former English cricketer Ted Dexter’s reason of not playing a match was really bizarre and unfortunate. He not only missed a game but had to give up playing cricket for his nation.
According to the media reports, his Jaguar broke down on Chiswick Flyover in London and he decided to push it through to the nearest garage. Unfortunately, the car somehow lost the control and crushed his right leg.
After this accident, Dexter was ruled out of the 1965-66 Ashes series and ensure that he did not play again for England.
5. Sydney Barnes – England
Sydney Barnes/ Photo: sportswiki
It happened in 1920-21, when MCC approached legendary England fast bowler Sydney Barnes to tour Australia for the Ashes series. Barnes asked the MCC whether they would pay for the expenses of his wife and children and received a big No in return.
As a result, Barnes refused to play once again at the age of 47 and rejected the offer. later, England faced their first ever whitewash against Australia on that tour.
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