Playing cricket for India on the biggest stage is the pinnacle of every Indian cricketer’s career and the Indian team is blessed to produce some world-class talent every year from their domestic cricket and Indian Premier League.
The country has produced some of the great players in the history of cricket like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan are few to name, who have done wonders for the Men in Blue in International Circuit.
With India failing to win a single ICC trophy over the last decade or so, as they failed to cross the knockout stages to win the elusive trophy, many believe that it is the right time to bring new faces into the team, who can take the baton forward for the Indian team. If selectors and the captain find the right talent to represent the country and give him a long run and confidence, the Indian team will not be far away from winning the ICC trophy.
Several players knocked on the doors of the selectors with their performances in domestic Cricket and IPL. Here are five players who might get deserves an opportunity ahead 2023 ODI World Cup.
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal has been the standout performer for Rajasthan Royals in the recently concluded Indian Premier League and impressed everyone which his fearless approach to batting at the top of the order, taking on the world-class bowlers in IPL 2023. The Rajasthan Royals opener has scored 625 runs in 14 matches at an average of 48.08 and has hit five half-centuries and one century in the season. Notably, he was named the Emerging Player of the Season.
The Mumbai batter has been touted to make his international debut for India very soon as he has shown promises in domestic cricket for Mumbai in all three formats of the game. Notably, the youngster was one of India’s stand-by players for the recently concluded ICC World Test Championship replacing Ruturaj Gaikwad, who missed due to his wedding. Given his form and confidence, the Indian team might be tempted to bring him in for the World Cup is a possibility.
2. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh has been the revelation for Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently concluded Indian Premier League performing consistently for his side. The Southpaw scored 474 runs in 14 matches at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, with four half-centuries most importantly finishing the games for his side in the impossible situations.
Rinku Singh was the standout performer for KKR with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 even as the franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs of the cash-rich league. The youngster has been serving them as the finisher of the team, as he showed composure and temperament to finish the game at the end and the Indian team management would look to get him into the Indian T20 side for the role of finisher with an eye to 2024 T20 World Cup.
3. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan has been one of the consistent performers for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy but failed to make it to the Indian team. The prolific run-scorer scored 556 runs in 6 games in the 2022 season with the help of three centuries and an average of more than 90.
Since the 2019-20 season, the Mumbai star has scored a staggering 2970 runs from 26 matches (12 centuries, seven half-centuries) at an average of 106.07. In 36 first-class games, the 25-year-old has scored 3380 runs at an incredible average of 80.47. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, he scored a crucial unbeaten 36 off 31 balls, helping Mumbai win the tournament for the first time in the 2022 season. With Cheteshwar Pujara being in the wrong side 30s India team management can look for the Mumbai batter as a replacement for the Indian veteran.
4. Mukesh Kumar
Mukesh Kumar first earned a national call-up for India’s ODI series against South Africa last year and has been in and around the India squad. Mukesh was picked up for ₹5.5 crore by the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the IPL 2023 auction and played 10 games for the David Warner-led side in IPL 2023.
The Bengal Pacer had a successful time recently, with terrific performances for India A and the Rest of India in the Irani Trophy he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the series against New Zealand A and he can be more vital for the Indian team in red-ball cricket with his experience in the domestic cricket can come handy, With the new WTC Cycle set to being, Indian would try to develop a new crop of fast bowling unit to assist experienced pacers going into the next cycle.
5. Jitesh Sharma
Jitesh Sharma was one of the most impressive uncapped cricketers in the country and has impressed everyone with his hard-hitting batting and finishing abilities and has also been impressed with his work behind the stumps for Punjab Kings and Vidarbha.
The 29-year-old was part of the India T20 squad in the previous two series but could not make his debut for the Men in Blue. With Rishabh Pant missing a few months of crickets due to a tragic car accident, Jitesh Sharma has provided a strong case with his performance for the Punjab Kings, especially in the T20 cricket for India and it will interesting to see him give up the much-deserved opportunity in the forthcoming West Indies series.