10 most talented young upcoming players in international cricket right now
Cricket’s future is often a subject that invites too much debate. In my humble opinion, unnecessarily so. The general laws of evolution apply here as well as everywhere: that which adapts always survives.
Cricket has exhibited this much-needed quality in the recent past. T20 Premier leagues, day-night Test-matches, Test Championships are just some of the structural innovations that have either established themselves or are in the pipeline.
2013 was a significant success for both the existing formats of the game as the so-called ‘lame-duck’ ODI tournament that was the Champions Trophy came to life and the world tuned into the Ashes to see the world’s oldest rivalry being reignited. Cricket has a secure future even though expansion may yet take a fair bit of time.
However, the most important aspect of the game remains the protagonists of the game. As long as there will be an accomplished skillful batsman on the crease, a ferocious blood-thirsty bowler at his run-up and a spinner full of guile in the game, we can be confident of a secure future for the game.
Some of the established greats of the game took their leave from the game in recent years. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis leave a void that can only be partially filled. However, greater emphasis on the U-19 format, domestic competitions has ensured that we already have a class of players entering the game that promise to be tomorrow’s big performers.
The criteria for selection has been only to look at players born after 1st January 1990 which would make them less than 24 years of age at this point of time.
Moreover, we are looking at players who have already gained some slight experience at the International stage in one or more of the existing formats which rules out some excellent yet untried talent such as Unmukt Chand (India), Nic Maddison (Australia), Lizaad Williams (South Africa) or Reece Topley (England).
I have also tried to be as representative as possible picking players from as many nations as possible. Here is a list of 10 young players who are beginning to make a mark in International cricket.
10. Jason Holder – West Indies
Jason Holder
West Indies is one team which is most in need of up and coming world-class talent. There is endless reminiscing that goes on in cricketing circles about the by-gone days of West Indian domination – the 70′s and the 80′s – when the likes of Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, Sobers were the best that the game produced.
Even after that period of extended sway, West Indies continued to produce world-class quality pace-bowlers in Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. West Indies is producing bit-and-part players at this moment. They are very valuable and exciting in the shorter format of the game with their extreme athleticism, all-round abilities but they haven’t been able to produce a Virat Kohli or a Morne Morkel which is troubling.
Jason Holder is not in the league of Ambrose and Walsh in terms of promise but he has the skills to become a competent bowler for the West Indies. They also have Kemar Roach in their ranks in whose footsteps Holder followed. Holder has a lot less pace but his height and accuracy allow him to be at the batsman constantly. He can extract swing with the new ball and shackle the batsman to create effective pressure at one end.
He was West Indies’ highest wicket taker at the U-19 world cup played in New Zealand finishing with 13 wickets. He has made a steady entry into International cricket with admirable performances against Pakistan and India in the recent past. He has scalped 22 wickets in 15 ODI’s so far with a best of 4/13 recorded against Pakistan. Hopefully, he will add to his game and develop into the fast bowler that West Indies need.
9. James Pattinson – Australia
James Pattinson
The right-arm fast bowler pips compatriot Mitchell Starc to gain a position in our list. Both the bowlers are supremely talented and will constitute Australia’s near future.
They had a rough rite of passage in England when they lost the Ashes earlier in 2013 leaving the old guard of Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson to exact revenge in home conditions. They need to remain patient at this point in time and realize that they will have their moment in the sun.
Pattinson trumps Starc because he matches his pace with added qualities of extracting late swing. His stock delivery is the out-swinger which when delivered from his height, at a considerable pace is incredibly difficult to handle for any batsman.
Pattinson enjoyed notable success at the beginning of his fledgling career against the Kiwis in 2011 picking up 14 wickets in 2 Test matches. His career Test figures look impressive in spite of a lack-lustre Ashes trip as he has 47 wickets to his name in 12 Test matches.
He has already gained some valuable experience by plying his trade in the hostile atmosphere of the Ashes, and on the dry unresponsive surfaces of India.
8. Quinton de Kock – South Africa
Quinton de Kock
South Africa have been able to produce quality wicket-keeper batsmen in recent memory. Mark Boucher and AB de Villiers were more than competent with both the willow and the gloves. De Villiers is on his way to becoming one of the modern day greats of the game and De Kock would like to follow his example.
The diminutive 21-year-old is athletic and neat behind the stumps and has already gathered a good deal of experience at the highest stage. He is a part of the Indian Premier League extravaganza, and made a substantial claim for his batting skills as an opener against India in the recently concluded series in which he slammed three consecutive centuries only to eventually give way to Graeme Smith for the Test series. He averages 46.31 in 16 ODIs and will definitely have a bright future with the Proteas.