5 cricketers who surprised us in 2017
The oft repeated adage of cricket being a 'predictably unpredictable' sport was further vindicated in 2017. Quite a few batsmen and bowlers, who were not expected to excel, made a mockery of predictions by stealing the limelight. In all three formats of the game, let us take a close look at five such cricketers whose game-changing exploits surprised one and all during this calendar year.
Also Read: Top 5 Test debuts of 2017
With just a few more matches left for the year to culminate, here are some players who put on unexpectedly brilliant performances in the various formats. These unbeknownst cricketers are arranged in the magnitude of the shock factor as well as momentousness of their exploits in the calendar year thus far. While the unforeseen efforts of experienced cricketers are not taken into consideration for this particular segment, only those with a handful of appearances are examined in order to fulfill the titular criteria.
(*Note: All Statistics are accurate as of 21st December, 2017)
#5 Keshav Maharaj (Tests)
South Africa's long-standing search for a quality Test-class spinner seems to have finally met fruition. Although his career is still in its nascent stages, early indications are that Keshav Maharaj is here to stay. The off-spinner made his debut in the traditional format during last year's Perth Test.
Contrary to the cynicism surrounding any spinner donning the whites for the Proteas, Maharaj has just gone from strength to strength to become a dynamic component of South Africa's bowling attack.
From ten Tests in 2017, Maharaj notched consistent performances across a wide variety of conditions. On the predominantly seam-friendly surfaces in New Zealand, he bucked the trend by topping the bowling charts with as many as 15 scalps from the three matches. His career best haul of 6/40 propelled the visitors to a series-sealing victory in Wellington. With India and Australia visiting his shores for high-profile assignments, Maharaj will get plenty of opportunities next year to further his progress in Tests.
Statistics for 2017
43 wickets from 10 Tests at an average of 24.76 and strike-rate of 49.3 with two five-wicket hauls