Indian cricketers with most Tests missed between two appearances

In the ongoing first Test match between England and India, right-hand batter Karun Nair made a resounding comeback to the playing XI, following finishing the fourth-leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy and as the leading run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in the 2024-25 season.

Apart from Karun, there have been many more instances when Indian cricketers have had to wait for a long period to find a spot in the playing XI. A country that produces a massive number of cricketers each year and has a competitive domestic cricketing culture, making it to the national side becomes a challenging and tough task.

Here are 5 cricketers with most Tests missed between two appearances for India:

5. Abhinav Mukund – 56 Test matches missed

Abhinav Mukund’s international career, which spanned just 7 Test matches, saw him wait for 56 games between two of his appearances, from the England tour in 2011 to the home Test against Australia in Bengaluru, 2017. The left-handed batter made his debut in 2011 against the West Indies when Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were injured. After a decent start, he was dropped from the squad and returned to domestic cricket.

His brilliant form in the 2016–17 Ranji season, scoring 849 runs with four centuries, brought him back into the setup. On his return against Australia, Mukund struggled, scoring 0 and 16 in Bengaluru. But he found form again in Galle later that year, posting his highest Test score of 81. Despite his contribution, he never returned to the Indian team again, ending his career with 320 runs in seven matches. He is currently a commentator at JioStar.

4. Karun Nair – 77 Test matches missed

Karun Nair scripted history, returning to India’s Test playing XI after missing 77 Tests, a gap of eight years. The 33-year-old batter, once known for his triple century against England in 2016, now walks back into the squad for the opening Test of the five-match series at Headingley, Leeds, following a solid domestic season.

He hammered 863 runs at an average of 53.93 in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, playing an important role in Vidarbha’s title win. His red-hot form continued in the Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, where he produced five centuries in eight innings, averaging 389.50. His 204 against England Lions earlier this month in Canterbury made him a strong contender for a spot in the XI.

3. Parthiv Patel – 83 Test matches missed

Wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel’s return to India’s Test side in 2016 came after a stellar domestic run. Having last played a Test in 2008, Patel had to wait for 83 matches before donning the whites again for the nation against England at Mohali in November 2016. In his comeback game, he scored 42 off 85 balls in the first innings and followed it up with an unbeaten 67 off just 54 deliveries in the second, helping India clinch a clinical victory.

Once the youngest wicketkeeper to debut in Tests at just 17, the Gujarat cricketer had played 20 Tests before the long gap. However, with competition from the likes of MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, and Wriddhiman Saha, it became tough to break into the squad. With over 11,000 first-class runs, he used those years to fine-tune both his glove work and batting. In all, Parthiv played 25 Tests, scoring 934 runs at an average of 31.13, including six fifties.

2. Dinesh Karthik – 87 Test matches missed

After making his debut in 2004 against Australia and playing 23 Tests across six years, Dinesh Karthik found himself sidelined from India’s red-ball plans. However, it took 87 Tests for the Tamil Nadu-born to make a place in the XI. The long wait ended in 2018, when Karthik returned for the historic Test against Afghanistan in Bengaluru. However, his comeback inning was underwhelming as he scored just four runs off 22 balls.

Between his appearances, Karthik invested most of his time in domestic cricket, scoring over 9600 first-class runs. Yet, with MS Dhoni being India’s captain and wicketkeeper, and later Wriddhiman Saha given the opportunities post-Dhoni, Karthik’s return looked tough. In total, Karthik played 26 Tests, scoring 1025 runs at an average of 25 with one century and seven fifties.

1. Jaydev Unadkat – 118 Test matches missed

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat holds the record for the most matches missed between two appearances for India, with 118 Tests. Making his debut in 2010 at Centurion as a 19-year-old under MS Dhoni, Unadkat’s Test career started with a wicketless outing. For the next 12 years, he worked hard in domestic cricket with solid perseverance and consistency.

His long-awaited return finally came in December 2022, against Bangladesh in Mirpur, where he bagged 2/50 in the first innings and added another wicket (1/17) in the second. His comeback was possible after his stellar domestic record, including a 67-wicket Ranji Trophy season in 2019-20 and leading Saurashtra to multiple finals. Since then, Unadkat has featured in three more Tests. In four Tests overall, he has taken three wickets at an average of 77.00.