Stars in The Spotlight as World Cup Looms

To state India has been Spain of the 2010 Football World Cup since the Champions Trophy in England would be an understatement. They have lost a mere 5 games in 27 ODIs and have their top three batsmen as the highest run-scorers in the format in the last few months. This is aside from the fact that of the best five bowlers (in terms of wickets) since the event in England, four are Indians.

The Virat Kohli-led outfit has been on a bullish ride in this format of the game and if any one team could be identified as ready for the World Cup in England next year, it is India. Yet, the sub-continental giants aren't without concerns in their squad.

The middle-order has been shoddy, the back-up resources in terms of pace and spin are yet to be identified. Hardik Pandya has been brilliant but India are still pondering if he can give ten overs every game for they do not have a part-time bowler in the side who bats pretty well.

All of this makes the recently concluded Vijay Hazare fifty over competition even more important for players looking to make a mark. Several young and seasoned stars impressed in the tournament but here we present to you a selection of five of those who might be in line for a call-up before the World Cup.

#1 Mohammad Siraj

23 wickets in 7 games at an average of 15.65 and three five-wicket hauls put Mohammad Siraj at the top of the wicket-takers chart in the Vijay Hazare trophy. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad seamer, who rose to limelight in the IPL, had a forgettable T20I debut for India and after two games at International level his economy stands at a shocking 12.25.

Yet, India are in the hunt for a fourth seamer in the ODI side to complement the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. Although Shardul Thakur impressed in bits and pieces, he is yet to nail down his spot in the side and could face stiff competition from Siraj now that the latter has had a great domestic 50-over tournament.

#2 Mayank Agarwal

The outrageous Karnataka opener has had a herculean season in domestic cricket, amassing more than 2000 runs across formats and becoming the first Indian to do so. Agarwal smashed more than 1000 runs in the Ranji Trophy in one month alone and is in such fine form that his exclusion from the T20I team for the Nidahas trophy came as a shocker.

Agarwal rocked the Vijay Hazare trophy as well, scoring 723 runs in 8 matches at an average of 90.37 with three hundreds and four half-centuries. To put it plainly, in seven out of the eight times he batted, Agarwal scored 50+ runs. In his own words, Agarwal is in no hurry to get into the Indian side but his recent exploits mean that keeping him out for long is next to impossible.

“I spoke to Mayank and told him that with his brilliant performances in domestic cricket, he has now definitely got himself in the mix (national team reckoning). I told him that he is now in the queue,” national selection committee chairman, MSK Prasad, had said in a chat with PTI.

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#3 Siddharth Lad

The Mumbaikar has impressed with his gritty temperament and penchant for fiery knocks under pressure. In the Vijay Hazare trophy, he blasted 373 runs in 6 matches at an eye-catching strike rate of 101.35 including three hundreds. The strike rate is pretty important for India have lacked middle-order batsmen who can up the ante in the final few overs in ODI cricket.

With MS Dhoni's strike rate since the Champions Trophy standing at 79, Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey not consistently contributing and Hardik Pandya not in red hot form, Lad could shore up the middle-order and add value with his ability to make runs at a good rate. Squeezing him into the final XI will be tough but if he keeps performing in this manner, Lad will soon be knocking hard on the selectors’ doors.

#4 Manoj Tiwary

An experienced cricketer and a capped one, Manoj Tiwary is another of those who isn't expected to come back into national contention. However, he slammed 328 runs in 6 matches at a brilliant average of 109.33, the highest in the tournament for a minimum of 200 runs.

Tiwary was prematurely dropped from the Indian side but is tough competitor and a brilliant middle-order batsman. His maturity and temperament could be a perfect fit for the elusive no.4 spot that India are on the lookout for. He will, however, have to stave off fight from Lokesh Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane to secure that spot.

#5 Deepak Hooda

In many ways, Hooda is a tempting pick in the Indian side. A flamboyant, hard-hitting batsman who can bowl pretty hand off-breaks, Hooda could solve India’s middle-order strike rate as well as the part-timer issue. He sizzled in the Vijay Hazare trophy, making runs at an average of 50+ and a strike rate close to 115.

Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina are no longer part of the ODI setup and Kedar Jadhav is the only batsman capable of consistently giving Kohli some overs. However, Jadhav hasn't quite impressed with the bat, which is supposedly his main gig, and this puts Hooda in the mix.

The former Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder can be a daunting batsman to bowl at in the death overs and together with Dhoni and Hardik Pandya, can form a strong, powerful lower middle-order. He is a part of the Indian side for the Nidahas T20I tri-series and if he can put in some compelling performances there, India will be tempted to try him in ODIs.