Ashraf Ali - Pakistan - Batsman

Ashraf Ali was one of the unrewarded cricketers in Pakistan cricket. A combative wicketkeeper batsman with plenty of ability with both bat and gloves, Ali's tremendous domestic form is what earned him a national call up in the absence of veteran Wasim Bari. Instantly, Ali made an impression in Tests and looked comfortable at the crease as well as behind the sticks. His physical appearance did let him down, as he was quite huge in his build and that times, rendered him immobile. Not surprisingly, he got an unwanted record for conceding the most byes in an ODI innings. He wasn't that poor but as mentioned, his mobility did affect his overall efficiency. Nevertheless, he certainly deserved more in international cricket, at least after Bari's retirement but that never happened either. He was always in the selectors' radar but only as the back up keeper.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan