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

#2 Rishabh Pant

While the decision to go with Parthiv Patel over in-form Rishabh Pant in the recently concluded Test series may have raised eye brows, the 19-year-old has shown that he isn’t just one for the future, but also for the present as well.

While MS Dhoni’s presence in the shorter formats might mean there is little chance of Pant being picked as a keeper, if he keeps up his attacking brand of cricket, he could well make it into the side as an opener. With Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane struggling for fitness, the opening combination isn’t yet set in stone.

The India U-19 star may have only played just one full season of first-class cricket but with an average of 72 and strike rate in excess of 100, it is clear that even in the longest format, his attacking instincts are paying off. And he might just be the kind of keeper that MS Dhoni promised to be in Tests after his limited-overs exploits but could never quite be.