5 talented new batsmen to watch out for in 2020

Nothing is more exciting in cricket than watching a young player emerge on to the stage of international cricket and make a mark. And like every year, 2020 is also full of possibilities; we may well see some talented young names rise on the international scene and surprise everyone with their ability.

Last year, we had batsmen such as Mayank Agarwal, Rassie van der Dussen, Nicholas Pooran and Marnus Labuschagne capture everyone’s attention with their great talent. Now, as these players try to take their success to new heights, the searching eye will look for new sprouts of batting talent taking root in the cricketing soil.

While the future is nearly impossible to predict in this game of glorious uncertainties, we can certainly identify those players who seem gifted with the qualities that make a batsman successful in cricket. Here are five such batters just emerging on the world stage.

1. Ollie Pope

Ollie Pope

Making his debut against India in 2018, Ollie Pope looked like a million bucks as he played some exquisite strokes. He did seem a little under-cooked though, and couldn’t post a substantial score.

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But England and many others realized that Pope is a truly gifted player who has the potential to become a superstar in the future.

He was brought back into the team for the series in New Zealand and finally scored a half-century at Test level. Already being dubbed the ‘next big thing’, Pope belongs to that breed of elegant English batsmen who possess natural style and flair.

Now that England are looking for a reliable middle-order batsman, one who can provide the much-lacking solidity in the top order, Pope might be the man to invest in. If the selectors persist, we may see more exquisite displays of batting from him.

2. Ikram Alikhil

Ikram Alikhil showed huge potential in 2019

Still a teenager, Ikram Alikhil showed great maturity and fight when he played in the 2019 World Cup as a replacement for the unfit Mohammad Shahzad. He impressed everyone with his calmness and quality of shots.

Alikhil already has two fifties in ODI cricket from 12 matches, with a lot of time ahead of him.

As he plays more cricket, especially the longer format, he is bound to become better. He could turn out to be for Afghanistan what Mushfiqur Rahim has been for Bangladesh – a solid keeper with great ability in front of the stumps too.

Yes, there is a lot of scope for improvement. But for a country like Afghanistan, with a nascent first-class and domestic structure, there isn’t much chance of growth in domestic circuit.

It will be at the international level that Alikhil will have to grow, and he certainly looks capable of it. If Afghanistan have to improve, he will have to lead the way in the future.

3. Mohammad Rizwan

Mohammad Rizwan can finally play as a regular in Pakistan team

Mohammad Rizwan is one of the most unfortunate cricketers in the world. When he was given an opportunity to play for Pakistan in the five-match ODI series against Australia before the World Cup, he scored two centuries. However, he was still dropped in favour of the full-time captain Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Sarfaraz didn’t do too badly after coming back into the team but surely, Rizwan deserved another go.

Belatedly, he did get a second opportunity when he got picked in the team for the Australia tour. He made it count in the very first Test by scoring a brilliant 95 and sharing a defiant partnership against, arguably, the best bowling attack in the world.

With his place in the team secure and Sarfaraz sent to the boondocks of domestic cricket, expect Rizwan to emerge as a consistent performer. He doesn’t have the street-fighting demeanor of Sarfaraz, but does possess the calm style of a solid batsman.

4. Tom Blundell

Tom Blundell has finally found a regular spot in the New Zealand Test team

New Zealand have been looking for a solid opening partner to join Tom Latham for a very long time. They finally seem to have found one in the form of Tom Blundell.

Blundell's Test stats are amazing. Having made his debut in 2017, Blundell has played just three Tests so far and has two hundreds in them. His current Test average is 68!

The reason for his absence from the team was the fact that he is a wicket-keeper batsman, and that spot in the Kiwi team was taken by a very consistent performer in BJ Watling. But now, a new door to the team has been opened up for Blundell – as the opening batsman.

Watling remains the keeper-batsman while Blundell takes the place of a struggling Jeet Raval.

Making his comeback against Australia, the 29-year old right-hander batted with grit and determination to launch a rearguard action in the Boxing Day Test and score a hundred against a rampaging Australian attack. His response to both Nathan Lyon and the Aussie quicks bespoke class and quality.

With the responsibilities of keeping no longer bothering him, he can fully focus on his batting skills and triumph as an opener in 2020.

5. Shubman Gill

2020 could be the year Shubman Gill establishes himself in the Indian team

Shubman Gill was the star of the Indian team’s victory in the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup. He is still waiting to get an extended run in the Indian team, but this could be the year he finally proves himself on the biggest stage.

Like most players coming through the Indian cricket system, Gill's IPL performances would be closely watched by the selectors. If he succeeds in that tournament, the door may open for him into both the ODI and T20 teams. But let’s not forget that he is averaging 67 in first-class cricket; that makes a strong case for his inclusion in the Test squad also.

Gill is another one of those talented Indian batsmen who seem to possess all the necessary qualities of good batsmanship – elegance, poise, timing, flair, etc. Many would argue that he looks even more talented than Prithvi Shaw.

Hopefully, the Indian selectors would bring him back after his two appearances in international cricket. Remember how Virat Kohli needed a second chance to succeed in international cricket? Gill may be similar in his career’s trajectory.