India, Aug. 29 -- Indian cricket has seen many gifted players whose careers never reached the heights they once promised, and Manoj Tiwary is perhaps among the most striking examples. Fondly nicknamed 'Chhota Dada', Tiwary carried the weight of big expectations, yet his international journey was limited to just 12 ODIs and three T20Is. Even more baffling, these 15 appearances were spread out over seven long years, with him repeatedly drifting in and out of the side. For many, his career will always be remembered for the irony of being dropped right after scoring a century, but the story of how he got to that hundred is just as remarkable.

Tiwary's start in international cricket was far from ideal. In his first five outings, he returned s...