5 Indian cricketers who debuted in the same year as Virat Kohli but are nowhere to be seen now

Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen in the world across all formats of the game. The Indian skipper has proved his mettle by shattering numerous records and has been a key force in India being the most dominant side in the globe at present. He has been a talented player since his early days and has worked hard to earn the success he has. Kohli made his international debut for the Indian team in 2008 as a 20-year-old and now, after 13 years, he is among the list of all-time greats.

While talking about Kohli’s success since his debut, several other players also made their debut around that time but failed to capitalize on the opportunities.

On that note, let’s take a look at five Indian cricketers who made their debut with Virat Kohli but are nowhere to be seen now.

1. Manpreet Gony

Manpreet Gony made his ODI debut in 2008 against Hong Kong after a string of great performances in IPL, Ranji Trophy, and Deodhar trophy.

The right-arm pacer was looking like a great prospect for the Indian team as he could take wickets consistently as well as score quick runs with the bat.

However, Gony featured in only two ODI’s for India taking two wickets, and soon was dropped from the squad. He then failed to deliver in the IPL and his returns to the domestic circuit were also mediocre, which resulted in an end to his short international career.

Gony now plies his trade in overseas T20 leagues: Global T20 Canada and Lanka Premier League.

2. Subramaniam Badrinath

A veteran of Tamil Nadu, Badrinath was a technically skilled and compact batsman who piled heavy runs in Ranji Trophy as well as for India A.

After eight years of great performances in the domestic circuit, he finally made his international debut for India in the same series as Virat Kohli’s debut vs Sri Lanka in 2008.

However, he didn’t get many opportunities and was only featured in ten matches across all formats for India, scoring 185 runs. Badrinath also had a decent run in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, but was ignored by the Indian selectors and now works as a commentator and expert.

3. Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan Ojha is among the best left-arm spinners to play for India, especially in the longest format of the game. After a string of successful performances in List-A cricket, Ojha made his ODI debut in 2008 against Bangladesh.

He wasn’t that effective in the limited-over circuit, but proved his mettle in Tests, where he picked 113 wickets in just 24 matches.

However, due to injuries he wasn’t a regular in the Indian side and played his last Test in 2013 against West Indies where he took ten wickets and was also the Player of the Match.

4. Manoj Tiwary

Manoj Tiwary can be considered as one of the unluckiest cricketers for India. After scoring hefty runs for Bengal in the Ranji trophy, Tiwary was all set to make his debut against Bangladesh.

However, a shoulder injury ruled him out and, Tiwary had to wait until 2008 to make his first appearance in the Indian colours. He made his ODI debut in 2008 against Australia but failed to deliver on that occasion.

Manoj Tiwary was dropped and then was recalled three years later in 2011. He scored his only international century that year against West Indies, but was once again dropped for months. Later, Tiwary did get a few chances but couldn’t capitalize on them, resulting in an end to his international career.

5. Yusuf Pathan

One of the most explosive batters, Yusuf Pathan, was exceptional for Baroda in domestic cricket which earned him a spot in the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007 which the Indian team won after defeating Pakistan in the finals.

Pathan made it to the headlines when he helped Rajasthan Royals win the IPL trophy in 2008 scoring 435 runs at a strike rate of 179 as well as earning the Player of the Match in the Finals. He represented India in 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is, notching 810 and 236 runs respectively. Pathan was also a key member of Kolkata Knight Riders IPL victories in 2012 and 2014.