3 Youngsters who can captain India in future

ICC World Cup 2019 is less than a year away. Virat Kohli will look forward to captain the side for the first time at such a grand stage. Already one of the most accomplished batsmen of this era, Kohli would love to add another feather in his hat in the form of a World Cup trophy which will certainly rank him amongst the best of all time.

Over the years, a plethora of young aspiring cricketers have managed to make a name for themselves in the domestic season (Duleep Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Ranji Trophy) as well as in the Indian Premier League (IPL). They have proved that age is just a number and provided a couple of years in the international circuit, some of them are even capable of representing the national side in the years to come.

Let's take a look at three such prodigies of Indian cricket, who if continue their stellar form, are sure to lead the national side in the future.

Honorable Mention: Ishan Kishan

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#3 Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer

Age: 23

Under the guidance of Pravin Amre, Shreyas Iyer hit the headlines when he represented Trent Bridge Cricket Team during a trip of the U.K. scoring 297 runs at an average of 99 with the highest score of 171, a new team record.

After having successful stints in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup and Vijay Hazare Trophy, and a phenomenal run in Ranji Trophy two years in a row, Iyer was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for INR 2.6 Crores. Earlier this year, he began a new journey of the team's captain after Gautam Gambhir stepped down. Handling two tasks at the same time, Iyer came to DD's rescue at a plethora of occasions.

Sameer Dighe, who was Mumbai's coach for the last domestic season and also mentored Iyer's T20 Mumbai franchise Bandra Blasters, praised the youngster's talent:

He is the right choice primarily because he has the leadership ability. A good leader has to have a positive approach, lead from the front and should be able to take the players along with him. May it have been for India A (India B in Deodhar Trophy) or in T20 Mumbai, Shreyas has shown all these qualities,

Having made his debut for the national side in all the three formats, Shreyas Iyer is a bright youngster who has all the tools to become the next captain of the Indian Cricket team. Regardless of the decision, Iyer surely has a great future in the game.

#2 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

Age: 20

Rishabh Pant was named in India's squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. The vice-captain of the team, Pant, during the tournament, hit an 18-ball fifty, the fastest at this level. The same year, Delhi Daredevils picked him up for INR 1.9 Crores, and the rest is history.

Pant has proven to be the best batsman for the Daredevils consistently for three years now. Leading from the front, he is as aggressive as Kohli and Sehwag and seems to be tailor-made for the national side.

Yes T20 is different, opportunities are lot lesser. But I think for someone like Pant and Ishan, their time will come. They are young and there is no hurry. They will mature as they play more games and they will play for India in the years to come

Arguably the best batsman of the 2018 edition of the IPL, Rishabh Pant is guaranteed to be the next big thing in Indian Cricket. A phenomenal wicketkeeper-batsman, Pant has already broken into the T-20 squad and soon will look to represent the side in the longer formats too.

#1 Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw

Age: 18

Prithvi Shaw came into limelight after a mammoth inning of 546 off 330 balls in a Harris Shield match, and since then there has not been any looking back for him.

Captaining the India Under-19 team to World Cup victory earlier this year, Shaw impressed everyone with his stellar batting and cool-headed tactics. His performances fetched him an IPL contract with Delhi Daredevils for INR 1.2 Crores, where he went onto become the joint youngest player to score an IPL fifty (along with Sanju Samson).

It's just a matter of when, and not if, Shaw makes his way to the Playing XI of the national team. With batting stances comparable to Sachin Tendulkar and composure similar to that of MS Dhoni, Prithvi Shaw is the perfect candidate to lead the team once he reaches his prime and should be the apt heir to the current captain, Virat Kohli.