5 openers that India can try out in the future 

India has plenty of options available for the opening slot. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma look settled for the shorter format of the game while Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul have delivered impressive performances to stay in the contention. On the other hand, Murali Vijay has stamped his dominance in the longer format of the game by scoring runs in important matches.

Although the current scenario looks relieving there is no harm in planning for the future. Plus, the fully-packed cricket calendar can result in frequent injuries. Both Rahul and Vijay lost crucial games because of injuries. Hence, it has become mandatory for Indian team management to have a string of players ready to step up when the situation demands.

Fortunately, Indian domestic cricket has produced several promising talents that look good enough to open the innings for Indian national team in the future.

Take a look at these five youngsters who will surely wear the Indian jersey in future and could open the innings as well.

---

#5. Ishan Kishan

A teenager from Jharkhand, Ishan Kishan brings with him to the crease, aggression, positive approach and plenty of hopes. The left-hand batsman led India in the U-19 World Cup in 2016 and came back with a runners-up finish. He was majestic with the bat in the tournament and his exploits continued in domestic cricket as well.

Till date, the 19-year-old has 22 first class games to his name and he averages 45.08 in them. He was the key figure in Jharkhand's impressive run in the last year's Ranji tournament as he scored 799 runs at an average of 57.07 and was rewarded with a place in India A team for his performances.

He performed decently in IPL 2017 as well and was one of the rare bright spots in Gujarat Lions' abysmal season. He scored 277 runs at an average of 27.70 in 11 IPL innings and looks good for enjoying a prosperous career.

#4. Rishabh Pant

Pant is a complete package with power and potential

In the last one year, no other cricketer has improved as much as Rishabh Pant in India's domestic circuit. In one and half years he went from being a U-19 cricketer to a member of India's T20 team.

The left-hand batsman is known for power-hitting and is regarded as one of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball. His aggressive batting includes a wide array of strokes and hence it is almost impossible for the opposition captain to set fields for him when he is in full flow.

Pant's free flowing batting allows him to bat at any position in the team but given his ability to pierce gaps with ease and his immense power and skills are better exploited at the top of the order.

He was Delhi's highest run scorer in Ranji trophy in 2016. He amassed 972 runs at an average of 81 runs per innings but his most impressive achievement was his tally of four centuries which includes a triple-hundred as well. He was also the only batsman to have a strike rate above 100 in the tournament.

The 19-year old has already played some gutsy innings in domestic cricket and hence has the temperament to survive the threat of new ball in international cricket. He is also an effective wicket-keeper and thus can become a mainstay in India's national team in the next few years.

#3. Mandeep Singh-

Mandeep did play three T20Is in 2016 but they were against Zimbabwe

The winner of the rising player award in IPL 2012, Mandeep Singh has all the ingredients to become an effective limited overs batsman.

He is fluent with the bat, has command over all strokes and most importantly has the daredevil attitude which allows him to dominate the proceedings with ease. However, his batting exploits have remained limited to domestic cricket and even after producing several impressive knocks he hasn't received due recognition from the national selectors.

He did play three T20Is in 2016 but they were against Zimbabwe, a minnow in cricket and he hasn't featured in any international games since then.

However, he is only 25-year-old and has behind him an experience of 62 first-class games. He is a mainstay in Punjab's state team with 4000 plus runs and is also a regular face in IPL. Considering all these facets, he can easily make into India's national team in the near future.

And given his liking for the new ball, he is best suited for the opener's role.

#2. Shreyas Iyer

Enter caption

During Delhi Daredevils' pathetic IPL campaign in 2014, a 20-year old Shreyas Iyer slammed 439 runs with four fifties in 14 innings. His fluent batting and ease at the crease while facing world-class bowlers impressed everyone and he was drafted in Mumbai's Ranji squad in the same year.

Since then, the right-hand batsman hasn't looked back and in four years has amassed more than three thousand first-class runs at an average of 53.93. In the same era, his form in T20 cricket hasn't dropped and he still remains a force to reckon with in the top order. In the 2017 edition of IPL, he was the main pillar of Delhi Daredevils and had an average of 33.80 in 12 matches.

In the last couple of years, the Mumbai batsman has climbed the ranks quickly and is regarded as a long-term player for future. In March 2017, he was drafted in India's Test squad as a replacement to injured Virat Kohli. This development reflects Iyer's growth in domestic cricket and hence it won't be surprising to see him in India's ODI squad.

His flawless batting and technically solid stroke play make him a strong candidate for the post of an opener in future.

#1. Sanju Samson

Along with his wicketkeeping skills, Samson is a reliable batsman

Sanju Samson has been featuring in India's domestic cricket frequently in the last five years and he certainly looks like a long-term prospect.

The Kerala batsman rose to limelight courtesy of his heroics in 2013 IPL and since then has produced several high-quality knocks to keep himself in the limelight.

He is elegant and his strokes exhibit class which is rare among the modern batsmen. Hence, Samson is a complete package which can be best exploited in a limited overs game.

He is known to bat with a cool head and also has the ability to shift gears in no time, and thus can become a reliable opener for India in future.

The right-hand batsman has remained a reliable top-order batsman in IPL since 2013. In the 2017 IPL edition, he piled up 386 for Delhi Daredevils and in the previous year scored 291 runs. He has behind him an experience of 37 first-class games where he averages 35.26 with the bat.

His wicket-keeping skills are also effective and hence he can be drafted in India's national team in the near future.