Cricket is a highly-competitive sport and the cricketers need to showcase their credentials consistently to retain their spots in the team. In the competitive era, new talents or bright prospects are constantly blooming and rising through the ranks. If a cricketer fails to live up to the reputation or maintain a high level of performance, young talents might as well replace them in the team.

In some cases, we must have seen players tasting a brief period of success, courtesy of their exceptional performance that brings them into the limelight. Nevertheless, keeping up the same level of success over the long term can be challenging, and if a cricketer is unable to maintain their form in the long run, they may fade from public attention. Let’s take a glimpse at the five cricketers who vanished just after

1. Karun Nair

Karun Nair shot into prominence when he scored a triple century against England in the fifth Test in Chennai in 2016 and thus he became only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to achieve the feat. He drew plaudits for his incredible batting performance and also became the talk of the town for his masterclass. Despite his unbeaten 303, his international career didn’t take off properly as he faced challenges. He struggled to maintain a consistent spot in the Indian national cricket team, and opportunities in the playing XI were limited before quickly falling off the scheme of things and vanishing from the limelight.

2. James Faulkner

James Faulkner is predominantly an all-rounder who is capable of delivering the goods with both ball and bat. He has showcased his credentials in limited-overs cricket and has even given nightmares to India in ODIs as a lower-order batter. He was known for his aggressive and powerful hitting abilities, which helped him score runs at a rate of knots as he played crucial cameos in tight situations. While he had a successful start to his international venture, he faced setbacks in his career before falling out of the team’s plans.

3. Peter Handscomb

Australian cricketer Peter Handscomb is one of the batters who hogged the limelight with initial success in his Test career, becoming a regular feature in the Test set-up. He also played both ODIs and T20Is but he found considerable success in red-ball cricket, courtesy of his elegant and classical style of batting which earned him recognition as a technically sound batsman. He is known for his solid technique and has shown his ability to play both spin and pace. His last ODI and T20I appearance came in 2019 before he fell out of the selectors’ radar. His last Test appearance came in March 2023.

4. Corey Anderson

Corey Anderson gained fame in 2014 when he hammered the record for the fastest century in One-Day Internationals when he completed his century in just 36 deliveries against the West Indies in Queenstown. He was considered a productive all-rounder, delivering the goods with both bat and ball, thus making him a key asset for the New Zealand team. Nevertheless, his career was blighted by injuries, hampering consistency and availability for the team. In 2020, he called it quits from international cricket owing to persistent injuries.

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5. Unmukt Chand

Unmukt Chand gained fame when he led the India Under-19 team in the 2012 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Australia, wherein he played a substantial role in the final against Australia, scoring an unbeaten hundred (111*), which helped India seal the victory and clinch the title. However, despite his credentials, he didn’t get the opportunity to play at the senior level. He had notable performances in the Ranji Trophy, representing the Delhi cricket team and was a consistent run-scorer in domestic first-class cricket before he shifted his base to the USA, where he plays for the Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket,