5 youngsters who are in danger of fading away after promising starts

There is often talk about the youngsters that are coming up. Be it Test cricket, ODIs or even T20 cricket, there are different youngsters coming along and rising to the challenge and also hogging the limelight. They have been successful to attain a fair bit of stardom at a pretty early age.

However, consistency is the key. It is difficult to maintain that level of performance day in and day out, but it needs to be more or less around the required level. With the competition level rising every day, there is a need for every player to step up his game for living up to his potential. Many youngsters get dwindled with the passage of time due to lack of consistency or the pressure of performing at the international level.

There are quite a few players who started their career well but faded away eventually after showcasing their early promise. Thus, here we look at five current youngsters who are in danger of fading away after the early promise that they have shown:

Shimron Hetmyer

It was only a couple of years back that Shimron Hetmyer made his international debut. And the dashing left-handed batsman made a big mark late last year and earlier this year. Hetmyer became a regular member across all formats and started performing consistently as well.

During West Indies’ away tours to India and Bangladesh, he blew hot and cold a touch but showed what he is capable of. Earlier this year, Hetmyer scored runs across formats against England. Even in the World Cup, he got consistent starts and averaged 36.71. But consistency has been a big problem.

He didn’t have a great series in any of the formats against India after the World Cup. The 22-year-old’s slump continued in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he averaged just 20.36. And in the latest series against Afghanistan, Hetmyer has failed to score substantial runs in any of the formats again. In 35 matches this year, Hetmyer has just four fifty-plus scores with the last one coming back in June. He has a combined average of 25.12 this year.

It doesn’t seem like the left-handed middle-order batsman is in the best frame of mind. He seems to be lost and has been getting out playing some loose shots as well. Thus, after a bright start, Hetmyer is in danger of fading away.

Rishabh Pant

There’s been a lot of buzz around Rishabh Pant. Ever since he came up the ranks, through Under-19 cricket and then domestic cricket, he was touted as MS Dhoni’s replacement. He was one player who can smash the first ball for a six and be the game-changer in the middle-order for India as far as white-ball cricket is concerned.

However, it’s been far from that. In fact, Pant’s introduction to international cricket was through Test cricket and that’s been his best format. He averages 44.35 and has hundreds in England and Australia. However, in the shorter formats, Pant has just not been able to find his feet. But he is a match-winner and can change the game batting in the middle. Hence, he was flown in as an injury replacement during the World Cup as well and it was on the back of some excellent IPL form.

Pant played a few games in the World Cup and got some quick starts but his form dwindled away since then. He averages a mere 18.45 across formats since the end of the World Cup. He has just one fifty-plus score which is 65 that he got against West Indies in a T20I. Apart from that, he hasn’t looked himself at all. The Delhi youngster’s mindset seems to be in a mess and maybe needs a big break. He’s had a very promising start but is fading away and India cannot afford that.

Hasan Ali

When you talk about Hasan Ali, you talk about the 2017 Champions Trophy. However, there’s not been much to talk about him ever since that multi-nation tournament. He was Pakistan’s match-winner and it felt like there was another fast bowling superstar in the making. But he has failed to live up to his potential.

In fact, since the start of 2018, the right-arm pacer has picked up 68 wickets in 52 games across formats. He averages 37.02. In white-ball cricket, his numbers have only gone down. In 27 ODIs in the mentioned period, Ali has taken 26 wickets but averages nearly 50 and has an economy of 6.12. The story is the same in T20Is as well. From 18 games, he has 17 wickets and is going at 8.72 runs an over.

The last time Ali was seen in Pakistan colours was in the World Cup game against India. Since then, he hasn’t even come into the picture. The 25-year-old played in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy game back in September before he got injured. Just when he was returning back to full fitness, the rib injury recurred and he’s been ruled out once again. Thus, Pakistan need to take care of Ali as he is someone who is a wicket-taker and can become their leader across all formats.

Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram is rated pretty highly. In fact, he has found a fan in the Indian captain, Virat Kohli as well who has openly expressed the joy in watching Markram bat. However, the former South African Under-19 World Cup-winning captain has flattered to deceive.

While he’s been excellent at home, his form goes wary when South Africa travel overseas. Moreover, he hasn’t come to terms with the subcontinent either and has had a couple of torrid Test series. Markram has been good in Test cricket, it is the shorter formats where he has promised a lot but hasn’t delivered.

The 25-year-old who is touted as one of South Africa’s future captains has an ODI average of 27.95 after 26 games. He has constantly got starts but has just two half-centuries in white-ball cricket. But Markram seems too good a player to be left out. However, consistency will be the key and South Africa will hope he doesn’t fade away after the promise he’s shown.

Soumya Sarkar

Soumya Sarkar has been around for a few years now and Bangladesh have invested quite a bit in the hard-hitting youngster. He made his international debut in December 2014 and since then, he’s constantly hovered in and around the Bangladesh side across formats.

Moreover, the left-handed batsman has shown that he can be destructive at the top but also can adapt in the middle order as well. He can also chip in with a few useful overs with the ball. However, Sarkar’s form has been under the scanner for a major part this year.

He started 2019 with a bang when he scored a Test ton in New Zealand and then carried his form as he scored three back to back half-centuries in the tri-series in Ireland. There were big expectations from him at the World Cup but he disappointed as he scored just 166 runs in eight innings. Since then, his bat has gone quiet and has hardly scored runs. He is in danger of fading away and Bangladesh may be getting frustrated with his lack of runs.