A product of Durham's notable cricketing legacy, Graham Onions, with his short career plagued with injuries and fitness issues, has proved time and again his relentless ability to bowl brilliantly. A methodical and accurate pacer, Onions was a consistent performer for Durham before moving to the national squad.
Onions first attracted attention in 2006, when he received a call from England's selectors to play against Pakistan, following an injury to Darren Gough. However, he was not a part of the playing 11. In the same year, he was named in England's 30 member provisional squad for the ICC Champions Trophy and was also the part of the England A team that toured Bangladesh.
In 2007, his performances in the domestic circuit were frequently overshadowed by that of Ottis Gibson and he was often sidelined in the favour of his more successful counterpart. However, he was selected to play for the England Lions to play Indian tourists in a warm up match later that year.
A string of injuries prevented him from being a part of Durham's maiden Championship winning season of 2008 but Onions finally broke into the international scene when he was named in the English squad for the West Indies Test series in April 2009. He justified his selection by picking up 7 wickets on his Test debut that included an amazing spell of four wickets in seven balls. He then went on to pick another 3 wickets in his second Test.
After a successful series debut, Onions formed a part of England's memorable Ashes crusade of 2009 earning him a place in the English squad that toured South Africa in 2009-2010. Although his performance was fairly mediocre with the ball in that series, his tenacious batting helped England save face in the first and third Test matches before being unceremoniously dropped for the fourth Test.
High on the positive beginning of his international career, Onions was struck by a disastrous back injury that ruled him out for the entire 2010 season. He could not recover in time to play the 2011 Ashes series either.
This career threatening injury put him on a long road to recovery but also paved way for a confident return in 2012 against West Indies in the Investec Test series.
He, however, failed to capitalize on this inclusion by displaying a disappointing warm up form during 2012-2013 India tour.
A successful comeback from an injury that could have killed his career prematurely has the makings of an exemplary story to tell, but England's well resourced bowling stock has not made it easier for Onions to ensure a fixed place in the team.
A hero, nevertheless, Graham Onions's brief but eye-catching career has made him as unusual as his name.

by Sonali Dhulap - March 2013