7 young cricketers who could become the next batting giants

Unless you are a Shane Watson or a Rohit Sharma, there’s no way you can expect yourself to sustain for too long in international cricket on the back of pure ‘potential’.Talk potential, talk new talent.The ‘new kid on the block’ always catches the eye of the cricketing world, especially if he’s extraordinarily talented. What’s amazing is the frequency at which new talent is churned out by teams around the world. What’s even more remarkable is the fact that very few of these boys manage to strike gold in the international arena. Most of them just disappear into oblivion or turn into pale shadows of their once much-hyped selves.Over the last two and a half decades, we’ve seen some kids make it big (read: really big) and actually match expectation with performance over a prolonged period of time. When these boys were new to the cricketing world and vice versa, they were touted to be the ones to watch out for.Batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacques Kallis, Mahela Jayawardene, Adam Gilchrist, Sourav Ganguly, AB de Villiers, Virender Sehwag, Kumar Sangakkara, and Kevin Pietersen are just some of the names that comes to my mind when I think of young men who were expected to take the limited-overs format by storm – and they did.As we move on from the heroes of the previous editions of the ICC Cricket World Cup to the 2015’s mega event, here’s a look at some of the batsmen who are in their ‘boys-to-men’ transition phase, and are the ones who hold the key to the next two months and the subsequent future of their respective teams.

#7 Quinton de Kock, South Africa

Assets: Ability to attack from ball one and set a decent platform for the batsmen to follow, skills behind the stumps.

Forte: His ability to take on the new ball bowlers.

At just 22 years of age, this likeable character is already being called the South African version of Adam Gilchrist. His emergence as a ‘keeper-batsman at the top of the order tempted the selectors to pick him (ahead of Thami Tsolekile) in all limited-overs series in the recent past. And de Kock has struck gold over the last 20 months or so, thus indirectly pushing any other World Cup hopeful out of the picture. The seemingly harmless boy is the perfect foil for his calm and patient partner, Hashim Amla.

He has no qualms about launching an assault on the opposition bowlers from the word go and has provided ample evidence of his ability to quickly adapt to alien conditions in the past.

#6 Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka

Assets: Composure, technique, elegance, ability to anchor the innings at a-run-a-ball.

Forte: His ability to compliment the man at the other end.

Those flowing drives through the off side often compel you to compare this highly underrated batsman to one of the best that Sri Lanka has produced - Kumar Sangakkara. Hettige Don Rumesh Lahiru Thirimanne hasn’t quite set the ODI stage ablaze since his debut in 2010, but he is definitely the one to watch out for. By making him vice-captain of the side, the selectors have made it quite clear that Thirimanne is being groomed to be the next Lankan captain, and a promotion of the order should not be too far either.

Yes, nobody can deny that Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanga are Lanka’s three musketeers, but skipper Angelo Mathews and his deputy, the man in question, would have an important role to play if/when the top three fail to score in the World Cup (and an even more integral role with the bat thereafter).

#5 Ahmed Shehzad, Pakistan

Assets: Controlled aggression, positive attitude, ability to lay down a solid foundation for the batters to follow.

Forte: His ability to see off the new ball and score at a brisk rate at the same time.

Pakistan’s opening woes were finally put to rest by this Lahore lad when he burst onto the international cricket vista. The only Pakistan batsman to have scored a century in all three formats of the game, Shehzad is highly rated in the domestic circles back home. In fact, Shahid Afridi reckons Ahmed Shehzad will be the ‘breakthrough player’ in this World Cup. With Mohammad Hafeez missing out due to injury, the responsibility to set the tone at the top would rest on the shoulders of Shehzad.

Shehzad will need to be alive and kicking from the outset since the World Cup begins with a rather crucial encounter – need I say more?

#4 Joe Root, England

Assets: Technique, ability to play swing, seam, and spin with equal ease.

Forte: His ability to play the role of a sheet anchor in the middle order.

Joseph Edward Root is on this list purely because of his exploits in 2014 (six international centuries). He has verified his ability to play an important role in Tests as well as the limited-overs format, with a more-than-acceptable average of 40 at a strike rate of 80 in ODIs. If the new-look English team wants to see itself winning major ICC tournaments, it will be guys like Root and Moeen Ali (along with the more experienced Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan) who would have to take the lead.

He’s got the technique to negotiate the new ball, the skill to rotate the strike in the middle overs, and a staggering average of 61 in away matches. What’s more, he has proven in the past that he can change gears when the scoring rate needs a push and is a neat part-time off-spinner too.

I dare say any captain would die for players like Moeen Ali and young Joe, who are willing to die for the team.

#3 Kane Williamson, New Zealand

Assets: Consistency, maturity, ability to pace the innings, fielding skills.

Forte: His ability to anchor the innings.

New Zealand, the co-hosts of World Cup 2015, is being considered one of the favourites for the tournament this time around. Their performance over the last 12 months or so has been outstanding – thanks to the emergence of some dazzling youngsters and the consistent run of form for seniors like Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor.

Kane Williamson has been the standout Kiwi performer of late, demonstrating exceptional match-awareness and a hunger for big scores. He brings with him the much-needed stability in the middle order and compliments his more flamboyant counterparts with a great deal of efficiency.

Quietly going about his business is his style, and as long as it works for him and the Kiwis, I don’t see anyone complaining!

#2 Steven Smith, Australia

Assets: Confidence, unorthodox technique, quick run-scoring ability, agility on the field and between the wickets.

Forte: His ability to read the match situation and play accordingly.

Stepping into international cricket as a leg spinner (much like The Curious Case of Cameron White), young Steven was more than a handy batsman in the lower middle order. Honing his scoring skills has seen him rise up the ranks to become one of the mainstays of the Australian middle order in the recent past.

On the back of a terrific summer, Smith is beaming with confidence – not just as a batsman, but as a leader, too. The youngster’s energy and restlessness is contagious. But when it comes to scoring runs, he’s the kind of guy you’d want out there till the end.

Teammate Aaron Finch reckons Steve Smith is very similar to AB de Villiers, which is nothing short of the best compliment a young batsman can get in contemporary cricket!

#1 Virat Kohli, India

Assets: Self-belief, aggression, adaptability.

Forte: His ability to set the tone of the innings (especially while chasing).

The Delhi wonder boy, the deputy and soon-to-be successor to India’s ‘Captain Cool’, has been nicknamed ‘Captain Hot’ after the recently concluded Test series against the Aussies, owing to his no-holds-barred on-field attitude.

But it isn’t just his approach that stands out – his bat has been doing a lot of talking, too, ever since he burst onto the Under-19 scene. The most integral cog in the wheel of the current Indian lineup (much like the Tendulkar of the years gone by), India’s current poster boy is a prolific run-getter in the ODI format of the game (with 21 centuries to his name). That India’s batting revolves around him (in all formats of the game) says it all.

Whether he can translate his solid Test form into the 50-overs World Cup is to be seen, but in the long term, this is one man who will shatter records and win hearts.

So that’s that. Yes, I’ve been very choosy here - there are a couple of other players who could well have been a part of this list - but that’s where you come in. Remember, we’re talking about young stalwarts who have it in them to carry the mantle of their nations in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and the years to follow.

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Edited by Staff Editor