Wisden overview
There are few more bristling, bustling allrounders in England than Irani, who has settled snugly into his role as Mr Essex since leaving Lancashire in 1994. He charges into the wicket, takes off at the crease like a less athletic Imran Khan, and, when he resists the temptation to pitch short, gets the ball to swing away from the right-hander. He's a combative batsman in the Dominic Cork mould - but with more shots, particularly off the back foot. Irani muscled his way into the Test team in 1996 against India, and, after helping save the Lord's Test, was dispassionately axed. He went on tour in 1996-97 but had to wait until 1999 for his next - and most recent - Test cap. But at county level Irani is a huge presence, and after an immense start to the 2002 season, he earned a recall to the England one-day side. He struggled in Australia the following winter - one local scribe wondered if he was a Barmy Army member who had got on the wrong bus - but still won a place in the squad for the 2003 World Cup. Lawrence Booth

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