Top 10 Players who have played most consecutive matches for a team

Top 10 Players who have played most consecutive matches for a team: A life of a professional cricketer is very hard. The matches, the practices, the travel, the thinking all take a toll on both mind and body of a cricketer. Hence to have a long career, players tend to miss a few games here and there in order to remain healthy and fit for important series and games. Here are 10 players who played the maximum number of games without missing any in between. 10. Mark Boucher (South Africa) Mts: 120 Span: 6 Oct 2002 – 1 Jul 2007 Mark Boucher retired in 2012 after an eye injury cost him his eyesight in his left eye. (Photo Source: AFP) The South African wicketkeeper par excellence, Mark Boucher had one of the most strenuous jobs in cricket and yet he was able to play 120 matches without a break. He retired in 2012 after a freak injury cost him his left eye-sight. 9. Alistair Campbell (Zimbabwe) Mts: 121 Span: 19 Mar 1993 – 1 Apr 2000 Former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell was a stubborn opener who could accelerate the scoring whenever needed. (Photo Source:ESPNcricinfo Ltd) Former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell was a stubborn opener who could accelerate the scoring whenever needed. A good player of fast bowling and a great slips fielder, Campbell played for Zimbabwe until the 2003 World cup in South Africa. He also played 121 matches on a trot from 1993-2000. 8. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) Mts: 122 Span: 10 Sep 2004 – 13 Mar 2010 Brendon McCullum played 122 matches non-stop. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Current Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum played 122 matches on a trot until his back injury made him miss some matches. McCullum debuted in 2002 and has been a regular member of the Kiwi side since his debut and now is leading the team into the 2015 World cup as the favorites for the first time. 7. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) Mts: 122 Span: 6 Nov 2005 – 24 Dec 2009 Mahela Jayawardene played 122 matches consecutively from 2005-2009. (Photo Source: BCCI) Sri Lankan stalwart Mahela Jayawardene played 122 consecutive matches for Sri Lanka from 2005-2009 before an injury forced him out of the team and broke the chain. Jayawardene who will retire from international cricket after the 2015 World cup, will want to repeat his World T20 performance where he won the title and then announced his retirement from the format. 6. Mohammad Azharuddin (India) Mts: 126 Span: 6 Dec 1991 -3 May 1997 Mohammad Azharuddin was the first player to play in 300 ODIs and make 9000 ODI runs. (Photo Source: AFP) Former Indian Captain Mohd. Azharuddin played 126 consecutive ODIs from 1991- 1997 when he was dropped from the team for poor form. Azhar, who is the only player to score 3 consecutive centuries in his first 3 Test matches, was also the first player to score 9000 runs in ODIs and play 300 ODIs. 5. Richie Richardson (West Indies) Mts: 132 Span: 17 Jan 1987 – 1 Nov 1993 Richie Richardson was the last of the great West Indian players from the unbeatable era. (Photo Source:Getty Images) Richie Richardson was the last of the great West Indian players from the unbeatable era. He captained the side from 1991-1996, when he retired after West Indies were defeated in the 1996 World cup semi-final. Richardson played 132 matches without missing a single one from 1987-1993 for West Indies. 4. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) Mts: 133 Span: 28 Mar 2000 – 13 Feb 2005 Shaun Pollock played 133 matches on the trot. (Photo Source: AFP) The great South African fast bowler Shaun Pollock played 133 consecutive matches from 2000-2005. Despite being a fast bowler, he was supremely fit and could bowl a long spell of 6-7 overs on a trot if necessary. Pollock captained South Africa from 2000-2003, when he stepped down from the captaincy after South Africa exited the 2003 World cup played at home in the group stages. 3. Wessel Johannes ‘Hansie’ Cronje (South Africa) Mts: 162 Span: 4 Sep 1993 – 27 Mar 2000 Hansie Cronje played 162 matches from 1993-2000. (Photo Source: Laurence Griffiths / AllSport UK Ltd) The tainted former South African captain Hansie Cronje played 162 straight games from 1993-2000, until he confessed his involvement in match fixing. Cronje made South Africa into a cricketing superpower thanks to his genius captaincy and tough as nails batting. But the stain of being a match fixer will always remain on his name. Cronje died in 2002 after a plane he was traveling in crashed and killed all the passengers along with Cronje. 2. Andy Flower (Zimbabwe) Mts: 172 Span: 23 Feb 1992 – 11 Apr 2001 Andy Flower is the only batsman to have a debut 100 in ODI and the World cup. (Photo Source : Reuters) Former Zimbabwe captain and India’s prime tormentor in 2000s, Andy Flower had a superb debut against Sri Lanka in the 1992 World cup when he scored a century on debut in both the World cup and ODIs. He played 172 consecutive matches since his debut in 1992 World cup till 2001. A brilliant wicketkeeper and a world class batsman capable of great feats, Flower’s career abruptly ended in 2003 after he protested against the Zimbabwean government’s policies at the 2003 World cup. 1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) Mts: 185 Span: 25 Apr 1990 – 24 Apr 1998 Sachin Tendulkar has played the most 185 ODIs consecutively from 1990-1998. (Photo Source: Getty Images ) India’s little master Sachin Tendulkar holds the world record for most matches played consecutively with 185 matches. He played non-stop from 1990 – 1998, exactly 8 years of nonstop cricket including 185 ODIs and Tests matches. His back problems caused him to miss some matches in the home series against Bangladesh and Kenya and that ended the most consecutive matches chain. *All stats are updated till 25th Feb 2015.