IPL 2024 to Olympics 2028: 10 Cricketers to watch for Olympic selection

In October 2023, it was officially announced that cricket will return to the Olympic Games after 128 years, with the T20 format in the 2028 Olympics to be held in Los Angeles. The news brought cheers to the faces of cricket fans who were advocating cricket’s inclusion in the most prestigious athletics event for a long time. Five years is a long time and in this massive period, a lot of changes will happen in the cricketing world. Several cricketing icons might hang up their boots and some new faces might emerge as new heroes of the game. In this article, let’s talk about 10 illustrious names that might be seen in the 2028 Olympics considering their performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Here are 10 players that might feature in the 2028 Olympics 10. Nicholas Pooran Nicholas Pooran. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) Nicholas Pooran is one of the finest power hitters in T20 cricket. Banking on his exceptional batting capability, the West Indies have won numerous white-ball games in the last eight years. The southpaw has played 88 T20 Internationals (T20Is) in his career and has scored 1848 runs in 80 innings at a strike rate of 134.69. The Trinidad-born cricketer is currently only 28 and he might be seen representing the West Indies in the 2028 Olympics, if he continues to provide fine numbers to his team in the shortest format of the sport. 9. Kagiso Rabada Kagiso Rabada. (Source -IPL) South Africa’s premier pacer Kagiso Rabada has done a phenomenal job for his team in all three formats of the sport. Serving the Protea side since 2014, he has picked up 58 wickets in 56 T20Is at an economy of 8.61. The 28-year-old is one of the fittest members of his national side and his agility during bowling and fielding corroborates the fact. If he maintains his top-notch fitness for the next few years, he can be seen spearheading South Africa’s pace attack at the grand event to be held in Los Angeles in 2028. 8. Rachin Ravindra Rachin Ravindra. (Source -IPL) Rachin Ravindra is the next big thing for New Zealand cricket. In recent years, he has proven himself in the white-ball formats of the sport. The 24-year-old’s batting capability was witnessed in the 2023 World Cup. Appearing in 10 matches, he notched up 578 runs at a strike rate of 106.44 with three centuries and two fifties. Talking about his performance in T20I cricket, the left-handed batter has racked up 214 runs and 11 wickets in 20 contests. His numbers have been ordinary in T20Is, so far, but his endeavours will be to display his all-round mettle in cricket’s shortest format as well. 7. Travis Head Travis head. (Photo Source: IPL) Travis Head has done an impressive job for Australia in the longest forms of cricket. In T20Is, he has shown up in 26 contests and has scored 656 runs at a strike rate of 147.08. After playing an instrumental role in the Aussie team’s success in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 World Cup, he will look to be at his best for his national side in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Head, who turned 30 in December 2023, might be seen in action for Australia for the next six years if he succeeds in justifying his role as a batting all-rounder in the side. Noting Head’s age and performance, the prospects of his appearance in the 2028 Olympics can’t be ruled out. 6. Sam Curran Sam Curran and Hetmyer. (Photo Source: Jio Cinema) England all-rounder Sam Curran has proven his all-round mettle in T20Is. Back in 2022, when the English side won their second T20 World Cup trophy in Australia, the 25-year-old made an essential contribution with the ball. He scalped 13 wickets in six games at an economy of 6.52 and ended up as the second-leading wicket-taker for his side. If Curran manages to continue his fitness and exceptional work for the English side, his international career might survive for 10 years. In 2028, when cricket will return to the Olympics in Los Angeles, Curran will look to make it big for England. 5. Rashid Khan Rashid Khan (Photo source: IPL) Rashid Khan is considered one of the best spinners in white-ball cricket. In his nine-year international career, he has made a lot of batters dance to his tunes. The leg-break bowler has played 85 T20Is, thus far, and has added 138 wickets to his profile at an economy of 6.07. Rashid, 25, will look to serve Afghanistan for at least 10 more years and make his national side a developed one. In the upcoming years, he will look to play quality cricket to help the Afghan team qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games. 4. Kuldeep Yadav Kuldeep Yadav ( Photo source: X / Twitter ) Kuldeep Yadav has emerged as one of the best spinners in international cricket in recent years. In his five-year international career, he has delivered several match-winning moments to Team India with his incredible wrist-spin bowling. The 29-year-old is currently an essential member of the team. In the upcoming years, Kuldeep’s role will be to continue his excellent work for the team to prolong his international career. The left-arm spinner’s form and fitness indicate that he can serve Team India for the next seven years which also keeps the high possibility of his participation in the 2028 Olympics. 3. Ruturaj Gaikwad Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Source -Twitter/X) Ruturaj Gaikwad was seen captaining India in the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou. As a skipper, he guided Team India to the gold medal in the men’s cricket competition. Gaikwad has shown he can be a huge name in the shortest form of cricket. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he has proven his talent several times. Noting his excellence, cricket pundits have also predicted that the right-handed batter can achieve massive success in T20 cricket. If the prediction becomes true, the talented right-handed batter can feature in India’s squad for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. 2. Yashasvi Jaiswal Yashasvi Jaiswal. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL) Yashasvi Jaiswal has become a vital member of Team India within one year. The talented left-handed batter is expected to make it to India’s 2024 T20 World Cup side and his responsibility will be to grab the chance and prove himself as a man of big tournaments. If the Southpaw reserves his spot in the team in the upcoming years, he might see himself in India jersey in humongous cricketing events in the future. The 2028 Olympics will be a crucial event for India and if Jaiswal becomes an eminent name in the cricketing circle, Team India supporters will want him to do wonders with his bat. 1. Shubman Gill Shubman Gill (Photo Source -Twitter/X) Shubman Gill has performed magnificently for Team India in his five-year international career. In India’s second Test series victory in Australia in 2021, Gill made a crucial contribution with his bat. In January 2023, he played a 208-run knock against New Zealand in Hyderabad and became the youngest batter to hit a double ton in One-Day Internationals (ODI). The dynamic right-handed batter is seen as the next superstar in world cricket but in the future, he will have to produce solid performances from his bat in marquee tournaments. The 24-year-old is one of the youngest players in the Indian team so it’s almost likely for him to show up in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles if he does his job efficiently.

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IPL 2024 to Olympics 2028: 10 Cricketers to watch for Olympic selection

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