Untapped potential...

...I saw on interesting question posted on Twitter today in regards to players who never lived upto their potential due to injuries (either career ending, or niggling).

So I thought I'd ask it here - who do you think would've gone on to be much greater if it weren't for injury?

For me it'd have to be Marcus Trescothick. Yes he's still playing on the county scene, but for that mental issue he had, imo he would have gone down as England's all time run scorer across all three formats - heck he could possibly still be playing today with England's opening issues!

Interesting topic...for India i can probably put together an untapped potential XI and a squad of 16...and I will as time permits

For England the first name comes to mind....Monty Panesar..reasons probably personal issues and a fragile personality as an immigrant growing up in quite stark contrast to Hussain

Jonathan Trott would be in the same bracket as Trescothik....mental breakdown.

And then there was Ramprakash and Graeme Hick.....won't die complaining not having chances

Alex Tudor is one that gets bandied about a lot by the pundits.


Both Trott and Trescothick played a long time at a very high level before having the meltdowns. Theres been other players before them suffer similar fates without it being so well punblicised. Thorpe was a raging alcoholic by the end of his international career.

Simon Jones. During the series that he turned into a genuinely world-class bowler, he got injured and never played another Test

Interesting thread. The two obvious ones for England that I can think of are Tudor and Jones, who've already had a mention I see. Christ Tremlett is a similar one. Also, Syd Lawrence, who had a horrific knee injury in his fifth Test which put an end to his bowling career.

A more left-field option could be James Foster. Had a decent tour of India when Stewart opted out, and looked set to establish himself as England's keeper, but broke his arm before the start of the following series (against SL). Stewart was recalled, did well, and Foster's chance was gone.

I always see Alex Tudor mentioned in things like this but his contemporary Dean Headley was arguably the better bowler, both of them should have been stalwarts in the England team for years.

I don't think I'd call Tresco and Trott particularly untapped potential, as both had quite significant careers even if curtailed.

Jones and Panesar are the obvious ones.

Graham Onions perhaps deserves a mention - made a promising start to his England career and then got an injury that got him dropped and never quite made it back in.

Tremlett another seamer who was excellent for the few occasions we could get him onto the pitch fit.

James Foster as keeper? Lost out because it was (and still is) fashionable to have a batsman/keeper rather than the best available glove man. Similar argument for Chris Read

A case to be made for Ryan Sidebottom - one Test too early and then left on the sidelines for 6 years before a relatively short but successful spell in the England side and arguably jettisoned a year or so too early. Probably should have been playing a couple of years before his recall.

I was trying to think of a genuine batting one for England - I don't think anyone has mentioned James Taylor as yet, who was really looking the part before his career ending health problems. I doubt we'd be having the whole debate over the number 5 batsmen at the moment if he hadn't retired

Devon Malcolm....i believe if treated well could have been so much more.

I think Moeen in this series is an example of how much impact good man management can have on a player's confidence and thus subsequent performance.

VTR wrote:I was trying to think of a genuine batting one for England - I don't think anyone has mentioned James Taylor as yet, who was really looking the part before his career ending health problems. I doubt we'd be having the whole debate over the number 5 batsmen at the moment if he hadn't retired

I don't disagree and he's one I would have persisted with but had a fairly modest record, averaging 26 after 7 matches, had all the talent just needed to apply it properly, same with James Vince I feel.