Is Ravi Bopara the unluckiest cricketer in the world?

Maybe not – it’s not as if he is fighting cancer like Yuvraj Singh, but put it this way if Bopara bought a racehorse the most apt name would be Black Cat given the number of the feline creatures that seemed to have crossed his path in the last few years.

Consider the evidence. After the debacle at Headingley in 2009, the selectors could just have easily have dropped Ian Bell or Paul Collingwood, but it was Bopara (promoted above his level at number three) who proved to be the fall guy. Then to make matters worse, his replacement – a certain Jonathan Trott – came in and scored a nerveless hundred on debut. Bang! That was one door firmly shut in Bopara’s face.

Finally, an opening in the Test side emerged with Collingwood’s retirement at the end of the Ashes series last winter. Ravi sacrificed a money-spinning jaunt in the IPL, impressed with bat and ball in the County Championship and looked in pole position for a call-up to face Sri Lanka at Cardiff. Then Eoin Morgan hopped off a plane from India and smashed 193 in the Lions game against the tourists. Slam! Another door was smashed into Ravi’s face.

And now perhaps the cruellest one of all. Having seen Morgan being dropped after failing dismally in the desert against Pakistan, Bopara looked finally to have secured the number six spot for the 1st Test in Galle before a side strain meant England decided to opt for the extra overs offered by Samit Patel in the Sri Lankan heat. Given it is the same venue where in 2007 a pair led to him being dropped from the Test side for the first time, Bopara’s sore luck will be particularly galling (sorry, we couldn’t resist that one). Crash! Another day, another door shut for Bopara.

If this sorry tale of woe isn’t a case of rotten misfortune, we don’t know what is.

Where next?

Sri Lanka's far from ideal preparation

Dropping Andrew Strauss

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Comments

[Martin]

He may be unfortunate, but the most unfortunate thing for him is that he just isn't quite good enough. Sad but true.

[Jack]

I agree with Martin. Unlucky cricketers are the likes of Stuart Law or even in today's game players like Shiv Chanderpaul, Brendan Taylor who have to constantly bat with their respective teams already losing ground in the match.

Ravi has been around the set up now for 5 years and hasn't done anything worthy. Morgan was our best ODI batsmen before playing Test matches and was the right choice at that moment (Sri Lanka 2011). It obviously hasn't worked out for him but I just don't see everyone's obsession with playing Ravi, he may be a likeable bloke but there are other more exciting players out there who haven't been lucky enough to have 5 years worth of chances!

[Ian]

Any cricketer needs a fair crack of the whip - and this is certainly something that Ravi hasn't had. He is genuinely unlucky in that respect. It will need Ian Bell to fail in Galle for him to get another chance - but the two Andies are clearly pro-Bell. No cricketer is likely to show his best form if he feels that his place isn't secure; that is why Bell is still being picked. When/if Ravi gets his chance, then I expect him to be given at least three tests to show everyone what he can do. Is he genuine Test class? I am not prepared to rush to judgement on that one. Many players have had false dawns: Kenny Barrington comes to mind - and look what he went on to achieve! As for being the most unlucky ever? Not really. There have been many very good cricketers who have never played (the best example is Glamorgan's Don Shepherd: 2,218 wickets @ 21.3; Econ. 2.14) and Glenn Chapple (one ODI & no Tests!). On the other side of the argument there are a few players who played more times than they should: Don Kenyon (specialist opener - 8 Tests av. 12.8) is a good example. With all of these selections or non-selections, I suspect that other factors were at work, like selectors who took a dislike to a particular player, or prejudice for/against the county X plays (or played) for. Meanwhile, perhaps Ravi can take some comfort from Milton (John, not Arthur!):' They also serve who only stand and wait.'

[The Reverse Sweep]

It seems we agree on Bopara, Ian. This makes me glad as everyone else who has commented seems to think that Ravi is not good enough rather than unlucky. I still believe that given a good run at number six, he'd come good for England.

[ipl news]

This is a dream team. Everyone is hungry for success in this team. All these cricketers are legends of this game and some of them are the greatest of all time.

[Wapapolffut]

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