5 players that graduated to play for Team India from the India A squad

India A will be touring South Africa in July for an ODI triangular series that also includes Australia A. The team will also play a couple of four-day games against South Africa A in Benoni and Potchefstroom. With the likes of Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal and Manish Pandey in the squad, their prospects look healthy.

The series is also an opportunity for the players to catch the eyes of the national selectors in order to get into the Indian team. Previously, there have been cricketers who have represented India after playing for the A team.

Here, we have listed down some of India’s best cricketers who had played for India A before donning the Indian national team jersey.

---

#5 Karun Nair

Karun Nair’s Test coronation was no less than a fairytale as he blasted his way to a triple century against England. However, his form dipped in the Tests against Australia, which he followed up with a shabby display with the willow in the Indian Premier League.

Nair is one of the many players who played for India A before earning a berth in the Indian team. He was the vice-captain of the India A team when Australia A and South Africa A toured India for a triangular series, staged at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

While he couldn’t live up to the lofty expectations, his team went on to bag the title by humbling Australia A in the finals.

#4 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is known for his big-hitting

Hardik Pandya has performed exceptionally well in the limited overs format ever since he made his debut. While he can clear the boundary ropes with ease, he also can crank up decent pace with the ball and has the potential to be a genuine all-rounder for India.

The Gujarat-born cricketer made his debut for India in a T20 International against Australia in January 2016 and later in the year, went on to make his One Day International debut against New Zealand. However, before his ODI debut in October, he represented the India A side that toured Australia in August 2016.

While he managed to garner just 47 runs at an average of 15.66, he churned out five wickets in the seven One Day games that he played. Pandya’s big-hitting ability has earned him accolades from the cricketing fraternity and he provides much-needed depth to the Indian batting line-up.

#3 Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey has had a promising start to his ODI career

Manish Pandey has time and again proved himself as a middle-order batsman in the limited overs format by playing match-winning knocks for his teams. His ODI average of 43.50 in 12 matches indicates a promising start to his career.

The Uttaranchal-born cricketer represented India A before getting selected in the Indian national cricket team. Pandey was a part of the India A team that toured Australia in 2014 for a quadrangular A-team ODI series.

He compiled 119 runs in four games at an average of 29.75, which included a match-winning knock of 91 against the South African pace battery of Kagiso Rabada and Marchant de Lange. In 2015, he went on to don the Indian jersey against Zimbabwe.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has cemented his spot in India’s limited-overs teams

Rohit Sharma is the only cricketer to have scored two ODI double centuries. With sterling performances at the top of the order, the right-hander has cemented his position in the national team.

He made his List A debut in 2006 and went on to play for India A in the same year against New Zealand A. Rohit played three matches against Australia A, Pakistan A and New Zealand A and scored 65 runs at an average of 32.50.

In 2007, he made his international debut in India’s Super 8 game against England in the 2007 edition of the World T20, hosted by South Africa. Since then, with his effortless stroke-play, he has entertained the cricketing world by piling on runs at will.

#1 Mahendra Singh Dhoni

One of India’s greatest ever cricketers

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the calm and composed wicket-keeper batsman from Ranchi, has been the epitome of class, aggression and composure.

He played for India A in 2004 when the team toured Kenya for a tri-series against the hosts and Pakistan A. The tournament was the turning point in M.S Dhoni’s illustrious career as he blasted a couple of centuries against Pakistan A.

The stupendous knocks earned him a place in the Indian national team and he hasn’t looked back since. Currently at the twilight of his career, Dhoni still has plenty to offer for the Men in Blue in International cricket.