3 Will Jacks knocks that show he's the next big thing in white-ball cricket

The year 2022 was a propitious one for Will Jacks, as the England all-rounder made his T20I and Test debut for the country, before making his ODI debut earlier this year.

Known for his big-hitting prowess in the white-ball game, he made his mark on his Test debut by bagging a six-wicket haul. He also marched his way to a sensational hundred in 2022, rising to prominence quickly.

Jacks has been carrying on his good work with Surrey in both formats, with the most recent knock being a 45-ball 96 against Middlesex in the Vitality Blast.

The game was special for a number of reasons, most importantly because Middlesex managed to break their 14-game losing streak. They did so by gunning down a mammoth target of 253 runs, making it the second-highest run-chase in all T20s.

The sensational knock from Will Jacks was overshadowed on that day, but he has been doing this for quite some time now. He's one of the few batters to have a T10 century to his name, getting there in 25 balls.

His exploits also earned him a contract with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.

To understand the talent and capabilities of this emerging cricketer, we take a look at three knocks from Will Jacks that show he could be the next big thing in white-ball cricket:

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#1 108* (48) vs Southern Brave, 2022

In the inaugural edition of the Hundred, Will Jacks became the second batter to score a century as he blazed his way to an unbeaten 108, off just 48 balls. Chasing a target of 138 runs against the Southern Brave, he put on an absolute clinic at the Kia Oval.

The Oval Invincibles opener smacked 10 fours and 8 sixes, striking at a rate of 225 in that innings. His blistering knock helped the Invincibles gun down the target with 18 balls to spare and showed what the all-rounder is all about.

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#2 70 (24) vs Middlesex, 2021

Surrey boasts a power-packed batting unit that would send chills down the spine of most bowling lineups. With Jason Roy partnering Jacks at the top of the order, they have enough firepower in the batting lineup to tear down any opposition. That's exactly what they did to Middlesex in the Vitality Blast last year.

Jacks was at the forefront of it, leading the way with a destructive 24-ball-70 that included 9 fours and 5 sixes. He struck at a ballistic rate of 291, destroying the Middlesex bowling unit that had no answers, and picked up the Player of the Match award as Surrey won by 54 runs.

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#3 40 (22) vs Pakistan, 2022

Marauding along in the domestic circuit is one thing, but doing it on the international stage is a whole different challenge. In their marathon seven-match T20I series last year against Pakistan, England gave plenty of opportunities to their backup players.

Jacks was one of them, and he made the most of his chance to leave an impression against a high-quality bowling unit like Pakistan.

Even though he only scored 40 off 22 balls, including 8 fours, the 24-year-old made it evident that he belongs at the highest level. Striking at a rate of 181, he gave England a flying start against the likes of Haris Rauf and the rest of the Pakistan bowlers. This knock showed enough evidence that he could be the next big thing in white-ball cricket.