The Ashes 2013: 5 young players to watch out for

There is a lot of optimism in England regarding the Ashes. The source of this optimism is, perhaps, more the dismal performances of Australia in all forms of the game in recent time than the success of the English cricket team. Australia enjoyed a period of absolute domination in International Cricket which coincided with their domination of the Ashes. The tide turned, as far as the Ashes is concerned, after the memorable series of 2005 which England won narrowly. Even though Australia bounced back in the next edition contested in Australia, England had gained the belief that the period of monopoly and domination was coming to a hurried end. And it was to be so. England now have the prospect of winning their third consecutive Ashes title and if form is considered a parameter for predictions, the scales are tilted heavily in their favour.

Australia are travelling with a relatively senior squad with a number of players in their 30′s, but they boast of an energetic bowling side. Michael Clarke will lead this Australian side and he will want to repeat the heroics of previous Australian leaders, especially Ricky Ponting. England, on the other hand, will have a relatively settled side which has tasted a lot of success in recent times. Their most recent success came against the Kiwi side which was defeated 2-0 in a two-match Test series. The young players on both the sides will play a significant role in the performance of their respective sides, but it will also be a perfect platform to justify their selection and create a reputation for themselves.

Here is a list of the top 5 young players to watch out for during the Ashes.

5. Jonathan Bairstow 

The right-handed batsman is a contender for a start in the first Ashes Test as indicated by his exclusion from the squad for the T-20 series against New Zealand. The batsman played a steady hand against the Kiwis in the last Test match but does not have much else to his name on the International stage. England might give him an opportunity at the biggest stage of them all and hope that he grabs it with both hands. An average of 31.00 in the eight Test matches he has played does not represent  the ability he possesses. It will be interesting to see how he faces up to the Australian quicks.