In the unfathomable realm of cricket, like any other sport, there are recognized legends, highly celebrated demigods who we worship as the epitome of the 'cricketer'. Then, there are those who are shunned and tucked into the dark corners of memory, never to be dusted off by the gleam of retrospective light. James Hopes perfectly fits this latter category, distinguished as the best Australian bowler who never graced a Test match. There’s a certain tragicomic irony to a sportsman's career when he excels in the domestic circuits year after year, but never appears in his national colors in the Test arena. Welcome to Hopes' world. Born on the 24th of October 1978, Hopes was a force to be reckoned with, especially in his local Queensland cricketing scene. In a cricket-mad country where kids wield plastic cricket bats before they can properly walk, Hopes was widely lauded as one of the finest products of the robust Aussie cricketing system. Yet, somehow, his path to the ultimate glory, the Test cricket, was woefully elusive. His career seemed to be a cruel practical joke by the fickle cricket gods: "You shall bowl stunningly, but never in Tests." Perhaps it was because of his unglamorous style - Hopes was no fiery Brett Lee, he didn’t stroll onto the pitch with Billy Idol’s swagger. His wasn't the face that moved merchandise or sent the media into frenzies. No, he was a proletarian cricketer, someone who showed up, did an exceptional job, and then cleared off unceremoniously. This was his modus operandi at Queensland, where he impressed the season-ticket holders, but not the national selectors. Hopes was called up for the ODI and T20 International cricket scene from 2005 to 2010, a half-deserved nod if you ask any cricket enthusiast who knows even a smidgen about his skill. However, the grand Test match eluded him. In an era where the Australian team boasted the likes Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, you’d think there’d be a little room for good old Hopes. When Hopes threw in his cricketing towel in 2016, he bore the symbolic distinction of being the top wicket-taker of the last decade for Queensland. Yet, shamefully, despite scoring mountains of runs and taking barrels of wickets, he was never, ever considered to play a Test match for his country. It would be comedic if it wasn’t so bleak. So, for his twilight years, instead of basking in the glory of a rewarding career with Test match commendations, he coached enthusiastic Indian crickets in the IPL - so much for gratitude! James Hopes, the star bowler who was left to watch Test matches from his living room, polishing his domestic trophies, while armed with a potential that the Australian Test cricket team did not deem worthy of tapping into. He became a poster boy for the overlooked and underappreciated, a cruel reminder of the spectacular sometimes forgotten in the sidelines. Hopes, a tragic solitaire in Australia's extensive cricketing history. “The Best Bowler Australia Never Test-Picked” – should be etched on his epitaph, a stark reminder of potential unfulfilled. Oh, the irony of it all.