Gary Ballance joins rare band of cricketers who have played Test cricket for two countries

On Feb. 4, 2023, Gary Ballance stepped out at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to represent his country of birth for the first time in a Test match at the age of 33. Although there are some 70 others who have made their debuts at an older age, Balance’s story carries a difference.

He had already played Test cricket for another country, England, on 23 occasions. This makes him the 16th male cricketer to play for more than one country in the 146 years of Test match history.

Given that there have been upwards of 3,140 players who have participated in Test matches since the first one in 1877, this is a minute percentage. Only four of the 16 have occurred in the last 50 years. Prior to Ballance, the most recent was Boyd Rankin, who was born in Northern Ireland and played twice for England against Australia in 2014-15.

Beset by injuries, his opportunities for further appearances were limited and he was selected to play in Ireland’s first-ever Test in 2019 against England. This was after Ireland, representing the whole of the island, became a full ICC member.

Political circumstances disrupted the careers of South African cricketers between 1971 and 1994. John Traicos played once in 1970 against Australia. In 1991, he played for Zimbabwe at the age of 45. The gap between his two appearances is the longest in Test history. Kepler Wessels settled in Australia and qualified to appear in 24 Tests for them between 1982 and 1985. He retired in 1986 and returned to South Africa. After the country’s readmittance to international cricket in 1991, Wessels played 16 Tests between 1992 and 1994, captaining in each one, before a second retirement from Test cricket.

One player has represented both India and England, Aftikar Ali Khan Pataudi.