Duleep Trophy 2016: Top 5 performers from the tournament

 

Ravindra Jadeja's 10-wicket haul in the match and Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten 256 was enough for India Blue to thrash India Red by 355 runs and claim the Duleep Trophy 2016. By winning two of their three games and losing the other to rain, there can be no doubt that India Blue were deserving champions.

The side were ably led by Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and impressed with both bat and ball. But who were the most impressive performers in the tournament? Does the captain make the cut? And does anyone from India Green feature?

Here are the top 5 performers from the Duleep Trophy 2016:

Sheldon Jackson

At the age of 29, cricketers could be forgiven for thinking that their debut for the national side may never come calling but as many players have proven before consistent performances don't go unnoticed. And that is precisely why Sheldon Jackson shouldn't lose hope.

Coming into the tournament, he had already proven himself to be a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, with over 2,500 runs at an average in excess of 50. And the Duleep Trophy did nothing to harm his credentials and present a case for an Indian call-up. After all, wicketkeepers who average in excess of 50 in the longest format of the game aren't readily available.

Despite batting a lot lower than he usually does for his state, Jackson still showcased his class as he registered two centuries, a fifty and an unbeaten 48 in his five innings. Not only did he score consistently but also showed that he is more than capable of batting with the tail and scoring runs as well. Another impressive season might just force the selectors to re-think their options.