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The longest gaps between Test cricket appearances

After Gareth Batty earned a surprise England recall for the tour of Bangladesh, we look at the three players with the longest gaps between Test appearances.

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Batty, who turns 39 next month, has played only a solitary Twenty20 international for England - in 2009 - since his last Test outing, which came against Bangladesh at Chester-le-Street in June 2005.

However, a gap of 11 years and four months between Test appearances would be nowhere near the longest such hiatus from the five-day game.

We take a look at the three players to have spent longer periods away from the Test arena between caps.

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John Traicos (South Africa/Zimbabwe)

Gap between Tests - 22 years and 222 days

Traicos' record of more than 22 years between appearances seems unlikely to be beaten.

The Egyptian born off-spinner played in three Tests for South Africa against Australia in 1970, the series proving the Proteas' last before they were isolated from international cricket for more than 20 years due to apartheid.

Traicos was able to resume his international career with Zimbabwe in 1983, but had to wait a further nine years before the country was granted Test status.

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He went on to feature in four more Tests and proved effective at the age of 45, claiming 14 wickets - including a certain Sachin Tendulkar for a golden duck on Zimbabwe's return to the game's premier format.

George Gunn (England)

Gap between Tests - 17 years and 316 days

A Nottinghamshire batting great, Gunn initially represented England in 11 Tests against Australia between 1907 and 1912.

All but one of these matches took place Down Under, Gunn enduring a miserable time of things in his solitary home Test as he was dismissed for one and nought at Lord's in June 1909.

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He looked set to end his international career with 844 runs after making twin half-centuries as England rounded off a successful Ashes tour of 1911-12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

However, almost 18 years later, Gunn featured in four further Tests on a tour of the West Indies, aged 50. He fared modestly in the first three, but contributed 85 and 47 in what proved his final match at Sabina Park, a high-scoring draw that saw England rack up 849 in the first innings, thanks largely to Andy Sandham compiling the first Test triple-hundred.

Younis Ahmed (Pakistan)

Gap between Tests - 17 years and 111 days

A somewhat controversial character, middle-order batsman Younis first experienced Test cricket in 1969, playing for Pakistan in two home Tests against New Zealand.

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He was subsequently banned for life by the Pakistan Cricket Board after choosing to tour apartheid-era South Africa.

However, after that sanction was lifted Younis eventually returned to the international game in 1987 - playing two further Tests and two ODIs against fierce rivals India.

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