When the fourth edition of the Caribbean Premier League kick starts at Port of Spain, the spotlight will be firmly on the likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. However, there are quite a few upcoming cricketers in the scenic Caribbean region who have the ability to turn heads with their infectious exuberance.
Let us take a look at the top five players who could grab the opportunity and open up a pathway to the future of West Indies cricket. As expected, the list is dominated by key members of the victorious U-19 World Cup campaign earlier this year.
#5 Shimron Hetmyer
Shimron Hetmyer played a leading role in the World Cup winning West Indies U-19 side with his pro-active captaincy and sensible approach to batting. Lapped up by Guyana Amazon Warriors, the top-order batsman will be eager to make a name for himself.
Due to the relative paucity of high-quality Caribbean stroke-makers in the squad, the left-hander is likely to get plenty of chances in the playing eleven. Add to the fact that he is a local boy should endear him to the masses.
His unflappable temperament is evident from his consecutive half-centuries in the ICC tournament. Despite struggling for runs in the group stages, Hetmyer came into his own by anchoring difficult chases in both the quarter-final and semi-final.
He does not need to look farther than Martin Guptill, the newly appointed skipper of Amazon Warriors, for adapting himself to the rigors of top-level cricket.
#4 Shamar Springer
Without a doubt, the enduring image of the 2016 U-19 World Cup was Shamar Springer’s delightful chest-roll celebration which followed a wicket or a fifty. And, they came regularly as well.
Springer scored 285 runs at an average of 57 and scalped 7 wickets at an economy rate of 4.5 from the six 50-over matches. If he puts in similar performances for Barbados Tridents, the West Indies selectors who are seeking to infuse young blood into the national set-up will be left impressed.
Capable of rotating the strike as well as finishing the innings, the powerful all-rounder could learn a lot from his new team-mates such as AB de Villiers, Kieron Pollard and Jason Holder.
On the flip side, Springer’s prospects in the main eleven might be sporadic amidst the presence of such an illustrious bunch.
#3 Evin Lewis
Though he is not quite an unknown commodity, Lewis has constantly been on the fringes of the West Indies squad. The 24-year old has got a dazzling platform in CPL to capture the Caribbean community’s attention.
He was part of the West Indies crew which had won the World T20 in India. However, the southpaw only managed to get a solitary game against Afghanistan where he was dismissed for a seven-ball duck in an ignominious loss.
All that could change soon if Lewis gives solid starts to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, thereby propelling his career in the right direction. In a side which does not possess stability in the middle-order, his draft price of 30,000$ may appear to be a huge bargain.
For a guy who has over 1000 runs from 36 T20s including one century and seven fifties, this season might just be the turning point.
#2 Gidron Pope
A powerfully built top-order batsman, Gidron Pope has already made his first class debut at 19 for Windward Islands. His fiery and unpredictable existence blunted several new-ball bowlers in the U-19 competition.
The left-handed Pope is a clean striker of the ball and could fit perfectly into the St Lucia Zouks unit which features aggressive players like David Miller, Shane Watson and Johnson Charles.
His ability to negotiate alarming spin will be tested considerably with most of the teams opting to introduce slow bowlers within the Power Play overs. However, it remains to be seen how the team management utilizes him.
Even if he does not get a lot of game time, Pope could grasp the intricacies of batting from Michael Hussey in the locker room.
#1 Alzarri Joseph
For a region which was obsessed with quick and hostile bowling, West Indies have been unable to maintain their legacy in recent times. But, Alzarri Joseph could just be the man to turn back the clock.
Capable of delivering seething spells, the lanky pacer adds enormous value to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. From eight first-class matches, he has taken 24 wickets with two five-wicket hauls.
Even though skipper Faf du Plessis has got numerous seam bowling options in Carlos Brathwaite, Thisara Perera to go alongside T20 specialists such as Krishmar Santokie, the extra pace of Joseph should tilt the scales in his favor.
Not only the Patriots, even the West Indies selection committee will be keeping a close eye on the young turk’s progress.
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