Sameer Dighe - India - WK-Batsman

Sameer Dighe is a former Indian wicket-keeper batsman, who played 6 Tests and 23 ODIs for the national team. Dighe's selection to the team was a decision full of controversy. He was 31 and was studying in USA when he was called to represent India in the 1999-00 season.

Soon after the Indian team left for Australia, Dighe was picked to keep wickets in the ODIs. However, it was only during the return Australian tour of India in 2000-01 that Dighe got his chance to play Test cricket.

Playing the final Test of the series, Dighe didn't have a great time behind the stumps. However, the final day provided an exciting finish as Dighe found himself batting with the tail while trying to win the game and the series for India. Batting through this tough situation, Dighe made an unbeaten 22, helping India to a memorable 2-1 series win.

After this win, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly came out in the open and announced that Dighe would be the first-choice keeper for the Zimbabwean tour. In the final of the Coca-Cola cup in Zibabwe, Dighe scored an unbeaten 94 against the West Indies, but India still ended up on the losing side.

Dighe kept wickets for India for a few more matches before injury, a mediocre average with the bat and wicket-keeping errors led to his eviction from the team.

By Sidhant Maheshwari