5 young Indian players who are likely to make their international debut in 2017

#3 PK Panchal

Even if he is the oldest among the players on this list, Priyank Kirtik Panchal has certainly caught the eye of the selectors after his impressive performances in the 2016/17 Ranji Trophy season where he is the only player to score over 1,000 runs. With over 3,000 first-class runs at an average of almost 45, Panchal has been consistent even if this season has been his big breakout year.

Despite ending 2016 unbeaten in Tests, if there is one area that India haven’t quite able to fill properly, it is the opening slot. While Murali Vijay and KL Rahul both had a good year individually, they couldn’t quite blossom as a pair and their tendency to get injured meant there was plenty of shuffling going around.

And that is where the 26-year-old Gujarat opener comes in. While he is unlikely to be an immediate first-choice ahead of the established duo, he can certainly provide able back-up should an injury arise and the fact that he is only 26 means that he is someone who can be groomed as a future opener, which is a better plan than continuing to call back the likes of Gautam Gambhir, who doesn’t have more than a few years of cricket left in him.