It can be said with assurance that the Indian cricket team has the best bench strength at the moment. Not only is the senior national team at the top of the ranking charts across all formats, the ‘A’ team and the U-19 teams too have been unbeatable in recent years.
Some players like Manish Pandey would probably have made it into any other international team, but such is the abundance of talent at India’s disposal that even he is not a senior squad member. However, like many other high performing cricketers who have not cemented their place in the Indian XI, he has earned sporadic call-ups already.
The likes of Pandey, Naman Ojha, Abhinav Mukund and Barinder Sran have represented India at least once, and so miss out on this list. Following is a team of Indian players who are yet to receive their first India cap. This following team has six bowling options (three spinners and three seamers) and five batsmen.
Akhil Herwadkar
This Mumbai opener has made fast strides in India’s domestic cricket. He has been a phenomenon in the last two years of the Ranji Trophy, with a classical approach to batting in a side full of attacking batsmen. His 879 runs in the 2015/16 Ranji season was the second highest run tally across all teams, only behind teammate Shreyas Iyer.
He has earned a call-up to the India ‘A’ side for the longer format matches on the back of a great season. Playing against the pink ball for the first time against Australia ‘A’ this week, Herwadkar saw off the whole of the morning session, before going out after an edge off his bat was plucked off with one hand at first slip.
Not only was Herwadkar’s batting a revelation last year, even his bowling ruffled enough feathers. He shocked Punjab with figures of 6/52 with his right arm off breaks.
Mayank Agarwal
Karnataka’s Mayank Agarwal has been one of the most prolific run-getters in Indian domestic cricket in the last few years. Initially seen as a limited overs specialist, Agarwal has found his groove in the longer format in the last two seasons – most recently gleaned through his run of scores in the ongoing Duleep Trophy – 92, 161, 58. Another big score in the final is only expected.
He has been a proven match winner for India ‘A’ sides in the shorter versions. His 49-ball 87 against South Africa last year made more news than most of the India batsmen’s innings against South Africa in the ODI series that followed. He has sporadically come up with match-winning performances for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL as well.
However, Agarwal’s remodelling of his game in the longer version is what is most promising about him at the moment. Dropped in the 2014/15 season from the Karnataka Ranji team, he lost a lot of weight in the off season and focussed on his fitness. Last season, he scored his maiden first-class century, and has followed it up in the Duleep Trophy with a second.
Shreyas Iyer
The biggest mystery to a lot of Indian fans is about how Shreyas Iyer has not received a single call-up to the national team yet. The brightest spots in his fledgling career have been the 2015 IPL and the 2015/16 Ranji Trophy in which he amassed an unbelievable 1321 runs. As seen from his recent shows with the bat for India ‘A’, Iyer is an exceptional talent – with an immaculate sense of timing and placement.
As seen in the One Day quadrangular series and in the first innings of India A’s four day match against Australia A, Iyer and Pandey bat at a different level from the rest of the side. However, what sets Pandey apart from Iyer is the latter’s comparatively weak temperament. He has a tendency of throwing his wicket away to rash shots at the most unfortunate of times.
Suryakumar Yadav
Another Mumbai batsman who has played a part in ensuring that the traditional powerhouses of Indian domestic cricket stay at the pinnacle is middle order batsman Suryakumar Yadav. Known as an attacking batsman with a penchant for innovation, Yadav has been a constant presence for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL as well in recent times.
Showing signs of maturity, Surya has adapted his game to the longer format in recent times. His 156 brought alive the Irani Trophy match earlier this year. He is expected to play a part in the pink ball Duleep Trophy final as well.
Sheldon Jackson
The most problematic quandary in envisioning the future of the Indian team is the lack of able successors to MS Dhoni. Naman Ojha and Wriddhiman Saha are the two prime contenders as of now, with Sanju Samson being groomed as the future replacement. Often overlooked is Saurashtra wicketkeeper Sheldon Jackson, who has the best batting statistics in domestic cricket among all the above mentioned names.
He is one of the very few batsmen in the history of the sport to have never got an international cap – or even got close to one – with a first class average in excess of 50.
Very rarely does Sheldon Jackson come out to bat and not score heavily. His scores in the ongoing Duleep Trophy also stand as proof - 48*, 105, 79*.
Baba Aparajith
In recent times, India’s domestic cricket scene has seen the rise of several spin bowling all-rounders. Prime among them is Tamil Nadu’s Baba Aparajith, who has been used more as a batsman than as a bowler because of Tamil Nadu’s abundant spin options. Specialising in the cover drive, the 22-year-old Aparajith has carved out a niche in the senior level for himself already in the shorter formats.
Currently lighting up the inaugural edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, Aparajith has scored one century in the league and another knock of 91 already in the league.
He also holds the distinction of having picked up a five wicket haul as well having scored double centuries in first class cricket.
Jayant Yadav
Haryana is another team who have been blessed with a talented spin bowling all-rounder in Jayant Yadav, who has formed a lethal partnership with Amit Mishra in domestic cricket in the last few years. Yadav’s off spin is also notably frugal, as seen by his below-6 economy rate in the T20 format.
A handy batsman in the lower order, with a highest score of 211, Jayant Yadav is also often the unlikely breakthrough bowler for the side – as recently seen as on the second day of the ongoing four-day match against Australia A – when his 3/44 helped his side claim a slender first innings lead over the hosts.
Shreyas Gopal
The leg spinner of this XI, Karnataka’s Shreyas Gopal is a handy batsman, like the two other spinners mentioned. Gopal has been in sparkling form in the pre-season tournaments for KSCA XI, and in the Duleep Trophy, becoming the first ever Indian spinner to pick up a five wicket haul with the pink ball.
Gopal produces prodigous turn with the ball, and also displays flawless technique with the bat. He has been one of the main reasons behind Karnataka’s rise to the top of Indian domestic cricket.
Shardul Thakur
Mumbai’s pace spearhead Shardul Thakur has been the most consistent seamer in India’s domestic circuit over the last two years, coming into the limelight in the practice matches against South Africa last year in India. He has made it into the fringes of the national team as well, being picked in the Test side being sent to West Indies for the most recent international series.
Thakur is currently bowling alongside Varun Aaron for the India A team, bowling with the same fire that has seen him rankle several international batsmen recently.
Nathu Singh
Rajasthan speedster Nathu Singh has been earmarked from a very early date for greatness, having played only for one season till now. One of the fastest bowlers in the country at the moment, Nathu has meteorically risen to already getting to play in the Deodhar Trophy and the Duleep Trophy.
Alongside the already capped Barinder Sran, Nathu Singh could be the pace spearhead for the national team in years to come.
Krishna Das
Assam’s Krishna Das is a rare find. Not only is Assam not known to produce quality fast bowlers, they are not known to produce international cricketers either. But this 25-year-old could change all that. On the back of his stellar bowling in the 2015/16 Ranji season, Assam qualified for the semifinals for the first time. He was picked up to play in the Duleep Trophy as well.
Will Krishna Das be the first India cricketer from Assam? Time will tell.
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