4 Indian youngsters who are certain to play their debut ICC World Cup in 2019

The ICC World Cup 2019 is less than 5 months away and the teams have already started their preparations for the big event that is going to commence from May 30th. Team India is currently in Australia taking part in a 3 match ODI series that kick started today.

After the ODI series, Team India will travel to New Zealand for a 5 match ODI series followed by 3 T20Is. After the New Zealand series, Team India will clash against Australia at home for a 2 match T20I series followed by 5 ODIs that will end on March 13th. The 12th edition of Indian Premier League will kick off from March and will end in May just before the ICC World Cup.

Team India will have plenty of opportunities to get their balance right before the World Cup begins. The bench strength would also be tested going into the World Cup and it would be an ideal opportunity for few youngsters to show their mettle and grab a spot in the squad that leaves to England.

In this article, we look at 4 players who are expected to make the cut for the squad that will be heading to England.

#4 Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal should make the squad as leg spinner

The 28-year-old leg spinner has been a prominent feature in the limited overs format for quite a while. In 33 ODIs, the leggie has picked up 56 wickets at an impressive average of 25.55 and a decent economy of 4.75. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have been a successful combination and have played an important role in picking up wickets in the middle stages of the innings.

In the 2018 tour of England, despite not taking many wickets, Chahal held up one end, which helped the likes of Kuldeep Yadav to pick up wickets from the other end.

Since there are no leg spinners in Team India, the chances of Yuzvendra Chahal getting picked is almost certain and this would be his first appearance in 50 overs World Cup.

#3 Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav has been in tremendous form in white ball cricket

Kuldeep Yadav has been a revelation ever since he made debut for Team India in the shorter format of the game. The china-man made his debut couple of years ago in the West Indies and there has been no looking back ever since.

At home or overseas, Kuldeep Yadav has been India's best strike bowler and the stats speaks for themselves. In 31 ODI games, Kuldeep has picked up 67 wickets at an average of 20.07 and an economy rate of 4.74.

In the 2018 ODI series against England, Kuldeep Yadav picked up 9 wickets from 3 games with best figures of 6/25 in the 1st ODI at Trent Bridge and helped India win the game.

With his unorthodox bowling action and the ability to extract spin on any surface, Kuldeep Yadav becomes a very effective bowler and will be the first choice spinner in the playing X1 for Team India.

#2 Khaleel Ahmed

Khaleel Ahmed made his debut for Team India in the Asia Cup last year

Khaleel Ahmed has impressed one and many with his bowling in the shorter format of the game. The left-arm pace bowler made his debut for Team India in the 2018 Asia Cup that was concluded last year in Dubai.

In 3 ODIs the left arm fast bowler picked up 5 wickets at an average of 31.40. This performance helped him in fetching a spot in the squad for the One-Day series against the West Indies at home. He didn't disappoint the selectors as he picked up 7 wickets from 4 games with best figures of 3/13 in Mumbai.

With a string of good performances, the tall and lanky fast bowler was drafted into the T20I squad for the series against Australia last year. He picked up 3 wickets in 3 T20I games and has impressed one and all with his bowling performance.

With no left arm seamer in contention, Khaleel Ahmed is certain to be picked for the squad that leaves to England.

#1 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant will get his chance as a batsman

Rishabh Pant has hit the limelight with his excellent performances in the recently concluded Test series against Australia. The southpaw from Delhi hit a rich vein of form in the Indian Premier League last year, which ensured a spot for him in the national team in the limited overs format.

Touted to be the successor of MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant has already shown the world the talent he possesses with the bat and his wicket-keeping skills. He stormed into the limelight during the Test series against England when he scored a blistering 114 in the last Test at The Oval and received critical acclaim for his knock. Though India ended up being the losing side, he was a force to reckon with.

He made his ODI debut last year in the West Indies series last year at home. Despite not getting many opportunities with the bat, he rose to the occasion in the Test series that followed thereafter.

Considering the fact that MS Dhoni will be the first choice Wicket-Keeper for the squad to England, Rishabh Pant will get a place in the squad purely as a batsman in the middle order.