3 Cricketers who were dropped before becoming superstars

Getting dropped early can have a debilitating impact on a player's mindset, especially at the international level. It can shatter a player's stature and can often do irreparable damage to his self-belief. It is not something unusual and happens to many across teams.

While most players fail to overcome the setback, a few take it as a challenge and use it to fuel their desire for a comeback. Let's look at three players who were dropped early in their careers but bounced back with a statement and became superstars of the game.

#1 Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh showcased his calibre when Australia toured England in 1989 for the Ashes. Waugh aggregated 506 runs in six Tests, averaging 126.50 with the help of two hundreds and a fifty and also claimed two wickets. He was the third-leading run-scorer for Australia behind Mark Taylor (839) and Dean Jones (566) in the marquee series.

However, his form tapered off by the time England visited Australian shores in 1990-91 for the next edition of the Ashes. Steve had not crossed 25 even once in six innings in the lead-up to the series but was named in the squad on promise.

Despite trying earnestly, Steve bagged scores of 1, 19, 48 and 14 in the first three Tests and the selectors ousted him at the expense of his twin brother Mark Waugh. Mark scored 138 in the first innings of the fourth Test to justify the call.

Steve returned to the domestic circuit, piled on runs and forced his way back into the Test side within a year. He never looked back afterwards, finishing his Test career with 10927 runs at an average of 51.06, including 32 tons and 50 fifties.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma was always seen as this languid and laid-back batter who had a fraction of a second extra up his sleeve when facing top-quality pace attack. Rohit made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast on June 23, 2007 and played over 50 one-dayers in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup in 2011.

In the absence of established names like Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir, who were sidelined with injuries, Rohit got the opportunity to bat in all five games of the ODI series against South Africa before the 2011 World Cup. However, Rohit aggregated only 49 runs in five innings at a paltry average of 9.80 and a strike rate of 49.00.

His woeful series ultimately cost him a place in India's World Cup squad and robbed him of the opportunity to etch his name in history.

Rohit made a resounding comeback to India's ODI squad and is on the verge of finishing his career as an all-time great in the format.

#3 Matthew Hayden

While many know Matthew Hayden as this imposing southpaw who belted bowlers for fun at the peak of his powers, very few modern-day cricket fans are aware that he was dropped multiple times from the Test side early on in his career.

The Aussie opener made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in March 1994. He managed scores of 15 and 5 and was dropped from the side subsequently. He was then recalled in December 1996 and played five more Tests, scoring his maiden Test ton (125) against West Indies in Adelaide in January 1997, before being left out again, this time for three years.

He returned to the side in March 2000 and never looked back again. The Queenslander finished his red-ball career for Australia with 8625 runs in 103 Tests, averaging 50.73 and racked up 30 hundreds and 29 fifties.