10 young future superstars of Test cricket

Of late, Test cricket has seen a bevy of youngsters take the stage and show what they’re made of. It’s always exciting to see new talent succeed on the pitch, especially when imagining the illustrious careers they might go on to have.

While this isn’t unique to the longest form of the game, young debutants in Test cricket certainly seem to have invigorated the format in recent years.

With this in mind, I decided to take a look at 10 emerging talents from around the world who may go on to have great Test careers.

For this list, I tried to cover multiple countries instead of choosing from the talent pool of just a single country. I also restricted myself to players who are 25 years or younger, and who haven’t played much Test cricket, or many international matches at all.

So while cricketers such as Shaheen Afridi, Washington Sundar, Sam Curran, Blessing Muzarabani and Wanindu Hasaranga seem likely to dominate in the years to come, they’re not the kind of young talents we’re looking at today. Instead, we’ll talk about talents who are very new to or are yet to debut in Test c.

Without further ado, here’s a glimpse of the future!

10 youngsters who have what it takes to excel in Test cricket

Shubman Gill, in his second match in Test cricket. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#1 Shubman Gill (India)

It can be hard to pick just one young Indian batsman for this list, given the number of exceptional talents waiting in the wings, but Shubman Gill sets himself apart through what he's achieved so far. Gill is still very new to international cricket, having played just 10 matches, 7 of which were Tests. But there’s little doubt that India’s latest young batting sensation has a very bright future ahead of him.

The general public first got a glimpse of him in 2018, during the ICC Under-19 World Cup, where Gill scored 372 runs at an average of 124 and won the Man-of-the-Tournament award.

After returning home, Gill resumed scoring tons of runs in first-class cricket and the IPL, where he quickly made a name for himself as a classy batsman in the mold of Virat Kohli (which is always a good sign). He was first called up to the Test squad in 2019 after averaging over 75 in first-class cricket, but didn't make his debut until late 2020 in Australia.

What happened there, of course, will be remembered for quite a while. A brilliant 91 at the Gabba helped India chase down 328 in the final innings to defeat Australia 2-1, against all odds. Shubman Gill, who scored big runs in the series, instantly rose to superstardom, and there's certainly more to come from the young match-winner.

Pucovski batting in the Sheffield Shield before his debut in Test cricket. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#2 Will Pucovski (Australia)

Only a single match into his career, Will Pucovski is already considered the future of Australia’s batting, especially in Test cricket, because of the way he’s aced the challenge of the Sheffield Shield.

Averaging well over 50 in the first-class competition, Pucovski has everything you can desire in a Test batsman: a compact technique, perfectly executed strokes, impeccable timing, a solid defense, the temperament to survive against any bowling attack, and an insatiable appetite for runs.

It’s this combination of attributes that saw him make a much-awaited debut in the Sydney Test of 2021, after call-ups to the national team that had begun two years earlier. A well-made 62 in his first innings in Test cricket proved to everyone beyond a shadow of a doubt what Australian cricket fans have known for a long time-- Pucovski is here to stay.

Naseem Shah celebrating the wicket of Joe Root in Test cricket. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#3 Naseem Shah (Pakistan)

The youngest bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket, fast bowler Naseem Shah looks primed to scale grand heights. He was called up to the Pakistan squad for their tour of Australia as a 16-year-old, which was testament to the skill he possessed even at such a young age. Since then, he’s played 9 Tests, and although his career thus far hasn’t been exceptional, there’s plenty to like about the teenager.

For starters, he’s a genuine tearaway pacer-- and he’ll only get faster as he gets older. Additionally, Naseem Shah possesses the priceless ability to move the ball both ways off the seam, which he used well to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket in late 2019.

As he strengthens his skills and regains a spot in his country’s side, the skiddy pacer may be on his way to becoming a world-class bowler, especially in Test cricket, for the next decade.

Raynard van Tonder as the captain of South Africa's Under-19 team. Image courtesy Getty Images. Pathum Nissanka en route a maiden century in Test cricket. Image courtesy AFP.

#4 Raynard van Tonder (South Africa)

In South African first-class cricket, where the fast bowling is fearsome and the pitches are quick and bouncy, batting is no walk in the park-- unless you’re Raynard van Tonder, who makes his craft look almost exasperatingly easy with a pleasing technique and a plethora of wonderful shots.

The 22-year-old top-order batsman has had the Provincial Cup challenge so far, averaging just under 50 from the 35 matches he’s played in, and he’s done so by expertly shifting between solid defensive shots and crisp attacking strokes, such as his picturesque on-drives, murderous pull shots, cracking cut shots, and more.

In fact, Alan Wilkins once compared his technique and style of play to none other than AB de Villiers. It won’t be easy for South Africa to hide his raw talent for long, and sooner or later he’ll be ready to rock international cricket, including Test cricket.

#5 Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

There are some incredible batsmen who have represented Sri Lanka in Test cricket in the past, like Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, among others. Pathum Nissanka, a young batsman similar in many ways to these class acts, might well join this list in the future.

Nissanka’s call-up to the Sri Lankan Test squad earlier this year was a reward for all the runs he had scored in first-class cricket, where he averages nearly 65. He would go on to celebrate his debut against the West Indies with a century full of grit, defiance and eye-catching strokes. Clearly, the Galle-born batsman is ready for Test cricket, and his penchant for big scores may soon translate into a wonderful career.

Rachin Ravindra bowling for Wellington. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#6 Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)

Rachin Ravindra's recent call-up to the New Zealand squad-- which is not by any means a struggling team in Test cricket-- as a backup opener for their tour of England -- showed just how much confidence selectors have in him.

A classy but powerful batsman in the vein of Cheteshwar Pujara, Jason Roy, Shikhar Dhawan and his idol Kane Williamson, the stylish southpaw is also a handy left-arm finger spinner.

Ravindra initially rose to prominence at the Under-19 World Cup in 2018, with a dominant all-round show that saw New Zealand make the quarter-finals. Since then, he's made big runs in all conditions, especially in A-team matches, where he's faced international Test cricket bowlers and thrived.

There aren't many openers in New Zealand who can handle the moving new ball with the skill and poise that Ravindra can, and when you factor in his ability to tackle spin bowling (improved by regular off-season tours to India), you have a complete batsman and Test cricketer who will definitely be an asset for the Kiwis in the years to come.

Jordan Cox in the County Championship. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#7 Jordan Cox (England)

A young, confident batsman who looks up to Kevin Pietersen, even imbibing his philosophy of “see ball, hit ball”-- well, there are probably plenty of aspiring English cricketers who fit this description. But there aren't many who can walk the talk as well as Jordan Cox.

After representing his nation with distinction at the Under-19 World Cup in early 2020, the Kent batsman made an unbeaten 238 against Sussex in first-class cricket, during which his full repertoire of glorious shots was on display. Also a neat wicketkeeper, Cox, in an interview after his incredible innings versus Sussex, said that he wants to be able to hold his own in teams as both a wicketkeeper and a batsman.

He's a self-assured, aggressive option who has much more to his game than just bravado, and if he keeps up the good work, he'll be making massive runs in Test cricket in no time.

Kartik Tyagi bowling for India Under-19. Image courtesy Getty Images.

#8 Kartik Tyagi (India)

India’s lead pacer during the Under-19 World Cup 2020 was this exciting talent from Uttar Pradesh. Kartik Tyagi, with his impressive pace, ability to bowl both inswingers and outswingers, and toe-crushing yorkers, was too hot for the opposition to handle, and he scythed through top orders to guide India to the finals.

Not long after those exploits, he found himself bowling in the IPL, and soon after, he was bowling in India's warm-up match for the Test cricket leg of their tour of Australia, a sure sign that his potential has caught the attention of national selectors. Given his development and the strength of Indian fast-bowling at the moment, it might be a while before Tyagi dons Test whites, or even Indian blues-- but he has already shown that he has the skill to compete with the very best. In the years to come, he may be prepared to unsettle batsmen everywhere.

#9 Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)

Ibrahim Zadran in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, having already made his debut in Test cricket. Image courtesy Getty Images.

It isn’t just the established Test cricket-playing nations that have prodigies coming through their ranks. Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan’s gritty young opener, made his Test cricket debut in Bangladesh in 2019, and commemorated the occasion with a gutsy 87 that helped his team hammer the hosts by 224 runs in their third-ever Test match.

Since then, he’s gone on to score 2 more fifties in 3 matches, showcasing his ability to concentrate at the crease for a long time while also having the strokes to counterattack against quality bowling, whether it’s seam or spin. As Afghanistan play more and more Tests, Zadran will get the opportunity to become one of his country's first stars in Test cricket, and based on what we've seen so far, there's every chance of that happening.

#10 Jayden Seales (West Indies)

Jayden Seales celebrates his maiden wicket in Test cricket. Image courtesy AFP/Getty Images.

During the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, the great Ian Bishop said that he thought West Indian seamer Jayden Seales was already ready to ascend to the senior level of the game. While the energetic Trinidadian impressed all who saw him bowl in the tournament with his pace and control, no one could have predicted how quickly he’d rise to the top.

He was called up to the Test squad ahead of their matches against the visiting South Africans. The team management thoroughly enjoyed what they saw, and unleashed him on the visitors in the first Test, where he quickly claimed three wickets.

A sharp bowler with a well-rounded and growing skill set, Seales, if properly managed, could develop into a real threat for batsmen everywhere in the coming years, as yet another West Indian pacer excelling in Test cricket.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, of course! There are some incredible talents like Prithvi Shaw, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Gerald Coetzee, Shahidullah, and many others who almost made the list, but who got left out this time around. Perhaps we’ll take a look at them another time. Until then, you can rest assured knowing that Test cricket is set to get even better in the years to come!