Nasser Hussain forecasts Warner, Starc to top the charts in Champions Trophy

Ahead of the all-important ICC Champions Trophy 2013 to be held in England and Wales, Nasser Hussain, in a no holds barred interview picked the batsmen, bowler, fielder and the emerging talent to watch out for in the tournament from every team in Group A. According to Hussain, David Warner and Mitchell Starc are the two players who would stand out in the runs and wicket tally in the tournament.

Nasser Hussain, in a recent interview, claimed that the chances of David Warner ending up as the highest run scorer are high as the left-hander would get more overs to face in comparison to others such as Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Steve Smith. Citing Mitchell Starc’s ability both with the old and the new ball, Hussain believes he would end up as the leading wicket-keeper in the tournament.

“I was considering Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Steve Smith, but I’ve gone for Warner at the top of the order, as he should get more of an opportunity to get big runs. His stats in one-day cricket are incredible, plus I love the way he plays, and he is in brilliant nick – he had another fantastic IPL season – so it’s hard to look past him,” said Nasser Hussain according to skysports.com.

“Mitchell Starc. I see the leading wicket-taker bowling with the new ball, and at the death, as that’s where the most wickets are to be had. He has had a pretty long layoff to injury, so it does slightly depend on his fitness.” he further added. The 49-year old stressed his ability to bowl the yorkers at the death and placed him above the likes of Adil Rashid who turned out to be the highest wicket taker in the last World Cup for England.

“Adil Rashid is another who has a chance in the group – England’s leading wicket-taker since the last World Cup – but I’m going to go for Starc. Though it burns me to pick another Australian, if the new ball swings, he could be devastating up front, and then he bowls fabulous yorkers at the death.” claimed the Chennai-born cricketer. When asked about the emerging player from the Bangladeshi camp, Nasser Hussain had no second thoughts in naming Mustafizur Rahman.

“More of a re-emerging talent, rather than emerging one. He has been injured for a little while, but that might help him, as people were maybe just starting to work him out and they won’t have seen a lot of him recently. With his variations, he is the archetypal modern one-day bowler and another wonderful death bowler.” quoted the popular Sky Sports broadcasters.

Nasser Hussain reserves a word of praise for Stokes

Citing the acrobatic abilities of Stokes apart from his all round abilities, Nasser Hussain claimed he is the gun-fielder in the English camp.”Ben Stokes. A freak in the field! Look at some of the catches he has taken at slip – Trent Bridge in the 2015 Ashes – and then also on the boundary, like his one in the IPL. He always wants to be where the action is, where the ball goes,” concluded the former Essex batsman. This is how Nasser Hussain responded when quizzed about the players to watch out for in the respective camps.

England

Highest run-scorer: Ben Stokes

Highest wicket: Mark Wood

Gun fielder: Ben Stokes

Emerging Talent: Jake Ball

Australia

Highest run-scorer: David Warner

Highest wicket: Mitchell Starc

Gun fielder: Glenn Maxwell

Emerging talent: Marcus Stoinis

New Zealand 

Highest run-scorer: Kane Williamson

Highest wicket: Jeetan Patel

Gun fielder: Mitchell Santner

Emerging talent: Tom Latham

Bangladesh

Highest run-scorer: Tamim Iqbal

Highest wicket: Mustafizur Rahim

Gun fielder: Sabbir Rehman

Emerging talent: Mustafizur Rahman