Remembering 5 of the best players to never play Test cricket

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Test cricket is often seen as the pinnacle of the sport, yet some extraordinarily talented players have never had the opportunity to showcase their skills in this format.

Whether due to timing, competition for places, or other circumstances, these cricketers have left a legacy in other formats of the game.

Here’s our list of five of the best players who never played Test cricket.

Ryan ten Doeschate – Netherlands

Ryan ten Doeschate is arguably one of the greatest cricketers never to play Test cricket. A prolific all-rounder, he made a significant impact in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20s, for the Netherlands.

His performances in county cricket for Essex were legendary, where he consistently scored heavily and took crucial wickets. Ten Doeschate’s ability to perform under pressure and his remarkable consistency make him a standout player. Although he was born in South Africa and initially played for Western Province, when it became clear that he would never feature for South Africa he explored options abroad where his grandparent's Dutch heritage provided a solution.

Ten Doeschate played 33 ODI’s and 24 T20Is for the Netherlands but given their associate status they were never eligible for Tests. Instead, he won the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year Award three times between 2008 and 2011 as his talents were recognized.

Franklyn Stephenson – West Indies

There were a couple of reasons why Franklyn Stephenson never played Test cricket. He was an exceptional all-rounder whose career coincided with a golden era for West Indies cricket a fact which probably influenced his decision to become a rebel-tourist and play in South Africa.

That action put an end to his hopes of playing internationally, as it did for so many other players who joined him on those tours – although many of his teammates had already played Test cricket before signing for the sanction-busting tours.

Stephenson ended his career with a First-Class batting average of 27.99 and a highest score of 166. With the ball he bagged 792 scalps with a best of eight for 47 and an average of 24.26. With a career that last 16 years, Stephenson would almost certainly have played internationally had he not signed to play for Lawrence Rowe’s rebel side.

Also read: The 7 most capped List A players of all time

Garth le Roux – South Africa

We saw how Apartheid affected the international prospects of players like Franklyn Stephenson who became rebel tourists and suffered the consequences. It also affected many South Africa players who were banned from playing internationally. There were some stars who found a way to circumvent the rules – Kepler Wessels qualified to play for Australia while the likes of Basil D’ Oliveira and Allan Lamb ended up playing for England.

But there were plenty of stars who missed out completely. One such player was burly quick Garth Le Roux. Playing for Western Province he was a formidable fast bowler who made his mark in domestic cricket as one of the best bowlers of a generation.

Le Roux’s performances for Western Province and Sussex were legendary, with his ability to generate pace and bounce making him a fearsome competitor. Despite never playing Test cricket due to South Africa’s ban from international cricket, his domestic and World Series Cricket exploits cement his place as one of the greats who never got to showcase their talents in the longest format.

Fawad Ahmed – Australia

Fawad Ahmed, a leg-spinner with a fascinating personal story, became a key player in Australia’s domestic cricket scene. Having been born and raised in Pakistan he arrived in Australia as an asylum seeker in 2010.

It took intervention from Cricket Australia to see him granted permission to stay in the country and he soon set about making a name for himself as a leg spinner. He caught the establishment’s attention while working as a net bowler to the Australian Test team. This led to a Big Bash deal with the Melbourne Renegades as his star continued to rise.

Noted for his ability to generate big turn Fawad Ahmed was labelled the best Australian spinner since Shane Warne by former Test star Damien Martyn. While he was capped at T20I (twice) and ODI (three times) levels, he never received a Test cap.

Steve Tikolo – Kenya

Steve Tikolo is widely regarded as one of the finest cricketers to emerge from Kenya. His leadership and batting prowess were pivotal in Kenya’s remarkable run to the semi-finals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup. Tikolo’s consistency with the bat and his ability to perform on the big stage made him a standout player in ODIs where he featured in 135 games for his country.

Despite his impressive international career, Tikolo never had the opportunity to play Test cricket, given that Kenya was never able to advance beyond associate status with the ICC.

It looked like they were about to be granted the coveted full member status after their excellent performance at the 2003 World Cup, but shortly after that cricket in Kenya hit a patch of major turmoil that brought a sad end to their, and Steve Tikolo’s Test ambitions. Tikolo ended his career with a First-Class batting average of 48.24 and a highest score of 220.

Read next: Is Andries Gous the USA’s best batter in T20I cricket?

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