5 middle order batters who could debut for India soon
While witnessing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 action, a majority of Indian cricket supporters must be feeling contented as a few uncapped Indian players have showcased their mettle. With 575 runs in 13 matches of IPL 2023, Yashasvi Jaiswal is a contender for IPL 2023 orange cap in the season. Witnessing the youngster’s blockbuster batting shows, some former cricketers are expecting him to serve the Indian cricket team in the upcoming months.
Along with Jaiswal, there are also some middle-order batters who could be seen donning the Indian team’s jersey soon as they have lit up the competition with their extraordinary batting displays. Before proving themselves in the cash-rich league, these batters had also performed exceptionally in the 2022-23 domestic season.
Here are five middle-order batters who could break into the Indian cricket team soon
5. Jitesh Sharma
Jitesh Sharma has performed brilliantly for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing IPL. Scoring 265 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 155.88, the wicketkeeper batter has grabbed the attention of Indian supporters with his batting. In the 46th game, Punjab suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Mumbai despite scoring 214/3. Earlier in the contest, Jitesh played a solid knock of unbeaten 49 off just 27 with five fours and a couple of maximums.
Just a day before Jitesh’s superb innings against MI, former England batter Kevin Pietersen had said that the PBKS dasher might become a good replacement for Rishabh Pant in the Indian team.
Noting his form, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might give him a chance to fill the shoes of Pant. In the T20Is, he could be a great addition to the Indian team as his domestic T20 record is impressive. In the domestic T20 circuit, the wicketkeeper has played 89 T20s, in which he has amassed 2052 runs in 84 innings at a strike rate of 148.91.
4. Ayush Badoni
The 23-year-old Ayush Badoni has played a few impactful knocks for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in his two-year IPL career. In the ongoing 2023 season, Badoni showed his batting excellence against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match 45, with his impressive innings of 59* runs off 33 deliveries.
Along with IPL, Badoni also holds a decent record in the domestic circuit. In T20s, the right-handed batter has hit 506 runs in 29 innings of 39 matches at a fine strike rate of 136.75. In January 2023, Badoni made his first-class debut against Saurashtra in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy.
Playing three matches in the competition, the young batter scored 231 runs in four innings with a century against Hyderabad. Observing Badoni’s performance in both red-ball and white-ball cricket, selectors may not hesitate in giving an opportunity to the Delhi batter in the upcoming months.
3. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh hit the headlines in IPL 2022 for his sensational knock of 40 off 15 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in match number 66. After his magnificent knock for KKR, he exuded confidence with his bat while serving Uttar Pradesh in the 2022-23 domestic season.
Smashing 335 runs in seven innings of nine matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022-23, the left-handed batter supported his team. Carrying his form forward from white-ball cricket to the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, Rinku became the leading run-getter for his side with 442 runs in eight innings of seven matches.
These numbers corroborate that Rinku could be an ideal candidate for the Indian team in all three formats of the sport. This year, he has also played a few match-finishing knocks for KKR in the ongoing IPL. Noticing his batting exploits in the league, BCCI could trust him to play for India in T20 Internationals as a lower middle-order batter.
2. Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan is an illustrious name in India’s domestic circles and ardent Indian fans are familiar with his incredible batting skills. The 25-year-old has played for Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. In 54 innings of 37 first-class matches, the right-handed batter has notched up 3505 runs with 13 tons and nine fifties.
Currently, the right-handed batter is an integral part of Mumbai and in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy, he showcased his spunky side with his bat, scoring 556 runs in nine innings of six games with three centuries and a fifty. Despite his colossal numbers in the domestic series, Sarfaraz couldn't find his spot in the Indian Test team for the 2022-23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Sarfaraz’s current form in the red-ball format could provide positive results for him in the future as selectors might show faith in him to bolster the middle order of the Indian Test team. With the unavailability of premier batters such as Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant due to their respective injuries, the team management might try him in the Test squad.
1. Tilak Varma
After putting up an impressive show with his bat for Mumbai Indians (MI) in his maiden IPL season in 2022, Tilak Varma became a renowned name among Indian cricket supporters. Currently, he is an essential part of MI as the 20-year-old has proven himself with his batting in the middle order.
In the 2022-23 domestic season, he did well in the white-ball competitions, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Hyderabad’s campaign concluded in the league round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022-23, but Varma looked positive with his bat, scoring 402 runs with a couple of tons and a fifty in seven matches at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 118.23.
Earlier, Varma kicked off his 2022-23 season with a bang in the Syed Mushtaq Alli Trophy. Piling up 297 runs with four half-centuries in six innings of seven matches, he ended up as the leading run-scorer for his team. This year, selectors will closely track his performance, and if he continues to be among the runs, the left-handed batter might show up in international cricket for India.
from Cricket Appeal: The Best and Funny Appeals in Cricket History – HOWZAT!!! | CricTracker.com https://ift.tt/WbBwiKd
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