Top 8 debutants of the year 2016

The year 2015 was certainly exciting in terms of new faces making their appearance in international cricket. How did 2016 turn out to be? Well, this year too has seen some marvellous cricketers announcing their arrival on the international stage. While the year started with Twenty20 action and the World T20, 2016 it was full of Test cricket in the other half. Here we take a look at some of the top talents that unfolded themselves in the 22 yards in the year which is about to end:

1. Keaton Jennings (England):

This 24-year-old South Africa-born English cricketer made the full use of the opportunity that came his way as he was called to replace an injured Haseeb Hameed during the third Test between England and India at Mohali in November 2016. The left-hander slammed an 112 off 219 balls after opening the innings with captain Alastair Cook though England lost the game badly. Jennings became the 19th English batsman and the first since Jonathon Trot in 2009 to score a hundred on debut. Certainly, a prospect for the future.

2. Jayant Yadav (India)

This 26-year-old Delhiite was a big hope for captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble and the man hasn’t let down either so far. The off break bowler has shown that he is no mug with the bat either as he even hit a 100 in his third Test at Mumbai where he registered a massive partnership with Kohli for the eighth wicket to put the game beyond England. He also has a 55 to his name and averages over 73 after three games. Jayant has also bagged nine wickets in this time. A healthy competition for Ravichandran Ashwin in the team?

3. Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand):

Son of a former Zimbabwean player, Colin de Grandhomme is known to be a hard-hitting all-rounder who made a dream bowling debut against Pakistan at Christchurch in November by taking 6 wickets for 41 runs. The visitors were skittled out for 133 and New Zealand won the match by 8 wickets. The 30-year-old all-rounder’s figures were also the best figure by a Kiwi debutant. Will New Zealand find the next Chris Cairns in Grandhomme?

4. Alzarri Joseph (West Indies):

If you are feeling disappointed that the Caribbeans no more produce the raw pace they were once known for, watch out for Alzarri Joseph. This 20-year-old right-arm fast medium bowler from Antigua made a mark in the ICC U-19 World Cup earlier this year that the West Indies won. He made his debut against India in the third Test of the home series this year and surprised quite a few batsmen with his pace. Joseph took 3 wickets for 69 after opening the bowling and among his scalps were Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The other Test he has played was against Pakistan at Sharjah.

5. Jasprit Bumrah (India):

The Gujarat bowler has an unconventional style of bowling but he has nevertheless been an asset for his team. The 23-year-old made impressive debuts in one-day internationals and T20s against Australia in their den earlier this year after he was called in as a replacement for an injured Mohammad Shami. He was the most successful bowler for India in his debut T20 as he grabbed three wickets for just 23 and the visitors defeated the hosts by 37 runs.

Bumrah, who plays for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, has a similarity in action with Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga who also played for the same franchise and is said to have mastered the skill of delivering yorker from the latter.

6. Peter Handscomb (Australia):

The 25-year-old from Victoria hit a 105 against Pakistan in the first Test at the Gabba to put up a 172-run partnership with skipper Steve Smith (130) to take Australia to a strong position. It was just the second Test for the talented right-hander who made an impressive debut against South Africa in a dead rubber at the Adelaide Oval last month which Australia won.

At a time when the Aussies are really facing it tough to find their lost ground back, the emergence of talents like Handscomb will help their cause no doubt. Can Handscomb, equally comfortable against pace and spin, fill the No. 5 slot where the great Steve Waugh used to bat once?

7. Haseeb Hameed (England):

Called “Baby Boycott” by his England colleagues even before he played his first ball in Test cricket for his unflappable batting style, Haseeb Hameed made an impressive debut in the longest format of the game against India at Rajkot. He made 31 and 82 after opening with captain Alastair Cook but his high point came in the third Test at Mohali in which he played a gritty innings of 59 not out with a finger which was said to be in “two pieces”.

Hameed’s promising tour of India was cut short but the 19-year-old Lancastrian is certainly a good prospect for England cricket in the days to come. He has already eclipsed former England captain Michael Atherton as the youngest batsman to score 1,000 runs for Lancashire.

8. Karun Nair (India):

The Karnataka player made his Test debut as India’s 287th player (exactly a 100 after the great Sachin Tendulkar) against England at Mohali in November but it was not until the third match at Chennai that he could show his mettle. After averaging just 8.50 in his first two Tests, Nair went on to hammer an unbeaten 303 in the final game of the series which India won by an innings and 75 runs. His 161-run-partnership with KL Rahul laid the foundation for India’s win. Watch out, the Rahanes and Rohits.