Top 10 Cricketers In The World To Watch Out For In 2023

The 30-year-old was given a debut in the side during their home series against Australia out of sheer necessity, due to the sheer lack of spin-bowling options in the side either due to injury or Covid. But what followed after the debut has been nothing short of a fairytale. Jayasuriya has gone on to spin a web around Australia as well as Pakistan in the 3 Test matches that he has played, taking 29 scalps, and bamboozling some really big names in those sides. With Sri Lanka still in contention for that spot in the WTC finals in a crowded midfield, their fortunes will lie on the shoulders of this man, who has suddenly become the lynchpin of their spin attack.

Sri Lanka’s biggest weapon, and their most dangerous player when on song, Hasaranga has been the crown jewel in this Sri Lanka side. While Nissanka and Asalanka provide class and grit, Shanaka provides the aggression, Hasaranga is the glue that holds everything together. His wily leg-spin coupled with his ability to tonk the big ones with the bat, as shown in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan is a massive advantage for a Sri Lanka side ready to come out of the cricket purgatory after years of mediocrity and incompetency. Hasaranga’s form with both bat and ball will be crucial as the Lankan tigers get ready roar on the big stage.

The young Pakistan pace sensation only recently made his Debut against India in the Asia Cup, but the way he bowled in that game, as well as in the tournament made people believe that he has been in the Pakistan side for years. Naseem is another one from the conveyor belt of young, quick and aggressive Pakistani pacers who bowl with everything they have. The youngster bowls with a composure that belies his tender years, and has searing pace. Coupled with an incisive in-swinger, Naseem had the qualities required to thrive for this Pakistan side. With the support he has in the form of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, he could be a nightmare to the opposition if used correctly.

The towering 6’8″ pacer made his bow in the ipl in 2021, and from there, he has now emerged to become one of the most reliable and accurate pacers in the latest version of the Proteas pace quartet. Jansen is the kind of bowler who will stifle you till you can’t take it anymore. With his height and his high release point, he is often the bowler who will make things happen for the Proteas. With his batting down the order another massive advantage, he is a total captain’s player if there was one. The gentle giant of this South Attack will be one of the key people to look out for, because he is worth the wait.

VDD is as old-school as they come. He looks like a batsman who always has the situation of the game down pat, and then models his game according to it. He will bat you into submission, and then all of a sudden, he flicks a switch, and just like that the gears switch. This quality was evident in the odi series against England, where he got to 100+ without hitting a single six. He is the glue that holds the flair players together, and then he adds his own game to make it a truly balanced unit.

Being a captain is a big thing, but becoming the captain of a side that is in constant flux and upheaval all the time is a different challenge altogether. But that does not stop Nicholas Pooran from believing that he can turn the fortunes of this dormant cricketing giant. Pooran leads by example with the bat, with his destructive ability in the middle order the perfect foil for the likes of Shai Hope, and Shamarh Brooks at the top. With the focus on West Indies qualifying directly for the 50-over World Cup, they will need Pooran to step up both in terms of batsman as well as captain.

When Ravindra Jadeja was in the side, it was a no-brainer to always start him. That meant a place in the dugout for Axar Patel. But with jaddu not getting younger, coupled with the fact that he is getting constantly injured, the door is now wide open for Axar Patel to make that place his own. While his ability with the ball is there for everyone to see, it his prowess with the bat that is a lesser-known fact for the cricket World. At 29, he is well in his prime, and if he is fit and healthy, it is only a matter of time before he takes Jaddus place in the side.

While it is an uphill battle for Deepak Hooda currently to get a place in the Indian batting line-up, come 2023, and he will definitely be one of the people who will be entrusted to carry the baton forward. A hard-hitting batsman who has time and again showed that he is capable of batting at any position of the batting order, as well as shown his adaptability towards the situation, which helps him change his approach as and when required. He is also a more than a capable part-time bowler, with his off-breaks ensuring that he’s not taken for runs. Hooda will be a vital of the Indian cricket landscape next year, and that is for sure.

Alex Carey has slowly but steadily made a name for himself as a capable keeper-batsman for Australia in the recent few months. He’s showed his worth by playing some really match-defining innings, especially when they have been down and out. While his keeping skills were never in question, his batting has developed leaps and bounds this year, and that bodes well for both player and country. With Wade in the latter end of his career, Carey is positioning himself in the best possible way to take the mantle from Wade in the next year.

While Rashid Khan takes the plaudits with his guile, smarts and craft, and rightly so, his spin twin Mujeeb is quietly making a name for himself, slowly and steadily rising up and creating his own identity. In fact, such was his level of performances in the Asia Cup, that in a game against Pakistan, he ensured that the screws were tightened on the Pak run chase with his bowling, not giving them an inch and completely putting the clamps on their batting. With the World Cup next year in the subcontinent, Mujeeb is all set to emerge out of Rashid Khan’s shadow and make the big stage his own.