2017 ICC awards: Five contenders for ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year award

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav celebrates after taking a hat-trick against Australia

In spite of playing their first international match in 1932, the Indian team never had a left-arm chinaman bowler in their 84 years before Kuldeep Yadav from Uttar Pradesh made his Test debut against Australia at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala earlier this year.

Since then, the 23-year-old has been one of India's vital cogs across all formats. His four-wicket haul on debut helped Ajinkya Rahane and co. beat Australia in the fourth Test and win the series 2-1. Three months later, he made his ODI debut against West Indies and had a memorable series in the Caribbean islands.

He took nine wickets in two Tests at an average of 2077, 16 wickets in nine ODIs at an average of 19.75 and three wickets in T20Is at 18 runs per wicket in the period. Adding to this, he became the third Indian to take a hat-trick in ODIs when he achieved that feat in the second ODI against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Even if Kuldeep doesn't win the award this year, he is in contention to win it in 2018 if he continues his consistent performances.