In 2022, the Indian team saw a lot of new faces. In order to keep the senior players fresh for larger games, the selectors continued to employ their rotational strategy, resting them against weaker opponents.
As a result, numerous domestic players were able to fulfill their aspiration of wearing an Indian uniform. There were a few players who were unable to make the cut despite putting in excellent performances.
These players have been on the outside looking in for a long time, and next year, their wait might come to an end. Here are five Indian players who might play their first international game in 2023.
#5: Rahul Tripathi
Despite his groundbreaking performances, the domestic gem Rahul Tripathi has not received the opportunity he deserves. He has been a good IPL player for a long time, and his List-A numbers are also impressive.
He has scored 1782 runs, averaging nearly 38 runs per game, in 53 List-A matches, including four centuries. When the seniors were rested, Tripathi was selected for India’s second-string team’s tour of Ireland and Zimbabwe.
Tripathi is very likely to make his long-awaited international debut as India prepares for the 2023 World Cup by playing ODI cricket in a few different combinations.
#4 Abhimanyu Easwaran
India has struggled for a long time to find openers in international matches. While KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma displayed some signs of solidity during the most recent England tour, they have not played together much in test matches due to fitness issues.
India may want to consider Abhimanyu Easwaran as an alternative because of concerns about Rohit Sharma’s test spot following the WTC 2021-23 cycle due to his age. Easwaran has been a member of the India “A” team for a long time and has been waiting for his turn.
In first-class cricket, Easwaran has consistently performed well, scoring 5278 runs from 76 games at an average of 43.61. The 27-year-old may get the chance he deserves next year.
#3 KS Bharat
Despite being in the running for a spot in the Indian XI, the Andhra wicketkeeper has not been selected. He once supplanted a harmed Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps as a substitute guardian in a test match against New Zealand in November 2021 however that is the nearest he has gotten up to this point.
As the Indian team’s designated second wicket-keeper, chances are bound to arise soon. With nine centuries and 4425 runs across 82 games, Bharat’s first-class statistics are respectable. In addition, during his career, he has made 82 stumpings and taken 282 catches.
#2 Yashasvi Jaiswal
Right now, Yashasvi Jaiswal is a remarkable child prodigy in Indian domestic cricket. He has a very promising international career ahead of him, and he will almost certainly make his international debut soon.
Jaiswal has scored 1015 runs in seven first-class matches, averaging 84.58 runs per game. From 32 games, he scored 1511 runs at an average of 53.96 on his List-A stats.
His younger Mumbai teammate may be the answer as India looks for an opener to take his place in the future. One aspect of Jaiswal that has stood out thus far is not only his consistency but also his capacity to score runs quickly in the red-ball format.
#1 Sarfaraz Khan
For the past two years, Sarfaraz Khan has not only been knocking but also pounding on the door of the selection process. For anyone who has scored 2000 runs in first-class cricket, Sarfaraz Khan’s batting average is better than that of only Sir Donald Bradman.
After 29 first-class matches, he has an average of 81.33 with 2928 runs, 10 tons, and eight fifties to his name.
After Ajinkya Rahane’s absence and Chestewar Pujara’s inconsistent play, India requires a dependable middle-order batsman in test cricket. Sarfaraz may be India’s best bet going into the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle due to his outstanding performances.