A look at the 10 players who made their ODI debut for India in 2016

On analyzing ODI debuts for team India in the last few years, only one player made his ODI debut in 2015.

Manish Pandey was the sole ODI debutant in 2015. It was surprising considering the fact at least 4 to 5 players used to make their India debut every year. Probably, since it was the World Cup year, the team management had decided against handing debuts in 2015.

However, in 2016, ten youngsters made their India debut. Majority of them received their caps during the overseas tour of Zimbabwe when the selection committee decided to send a young squad to the tournament.

Among a cluster of 10, it is always difficult to impress the management and hence, let us have a look as to where these cricketers have reached in their careers now.

---

#1 Barinder Sran

Sran was expected to follow in the footsteps of Zaheer Khan

The left-hand pacer from Punjab was India's first throw of dice to find a long-term replacement for Zaheer Khan. He had impressed with the Sunrisers that year and Sran was expected to be a regular for India.

However, he failed to do justice to the potential in him. Currently, he is plying his trade in the Ranji Trophy and the IPL. With the rise of Khaleel Ahmed, it would be a difficult task for him to make a national comeback.

#2 Rishi Dhawan

Rishi Dhawan was an exciting all-rounder during the 2016 IPL season

India were struggling to find a fast bowling all-rounder until Rishi Dhawan started to impress in the domestic tournaments and the IPL. The Himachal Pradesh cricketer was drafted into the ODI squad in 2016. However, he failed to impress the selectors.

In subsequent IPL seasons too, Rishi failed to deliver and hence he is without an IPL contract right now. He has failed to fulfil his potential which has made the way for the likes of Hardik Pandya into the squad.

#3 Gurkeerat Singh

Gurkeerat Singh Mann was a surprise inclusion to the squad

Gurkeerat Singh Mann is a talented middle-order batsman who can bowl part-time off-spin too. His exploits with the Punjab squad in Ranji Trophy and Kings XI Punjab in IPL earned him a national call-up, which surprised many. However, he got limited opportunities to bat for India and was later dropped.

He has not done enough since then to make a comeback. The next IPL season with Delhi will be crucial for him.

#4 Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah has been the find of the 2016 batch

With his unorthodox bowling action, many doubted his talent at the beginning of his career. However, Bumrah is the only Indian player after Virat Kohli who can walk into any Indian squad in all formats. That has been the rise of this youngster who will be crucial to India's chances in the World Cup next year.

#5 Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal is a regular in the Indian team now

Yuzvendra Chahal was the pick of the bowlers in the 2016 season of the IPL with RCB. With India needing a few wrist-spin options, Chahal was drafted quickly into the Indian squad in 2016.

Chahal is now in the list of ICC's Top-10 bowlers, and his partnership with Kuldeep Yadav has been winning games for India very often. He is one of the few players who has been successful from the batch of 2016.

#6 Karun Nair

Karun Nair has not played a lot of ODI games since then

Karun Nair made his ODI debut in the Zimbabwe series in 2016. However, it was his triple-hundred in the same year which made him very popular.

Unfortunately, the Karnataka batsman has found it difficult to get opportunities despite good performances. He will be playing for Kings XI Punjab in IPL next year which could give him more opportunities to prove his credentials as a limited-overs cricketer.

#7 KL Rahul

KL Rahul is still a part of the Indian setup

In 2016, KL Rahul emerged as an all-format player after he was initially typecasted as a Test-match cricketer. He has played many good innings in T20Is and has shrugged off his Test match label. He will most probably be the reserve opener in the World Cup next year.

He was a revelation with Kings XI Punjab in 2018 and he will look to continue his form in the next season too.

#8 Faiz Fazal

Faiz Fazal is a left-hand batsman from Vidharba

Not many are aware that this relatively unknown cricketer from Vidharba has played for India in 2016. He has hardly played in the IPL and he was selected solely based on his performances in the Ranji Trophy.

In 2018, Faiz Fazal led Vidharba to their maiden Ranji Trophy victory which has been the high point of his career. Though he is the wronger side of age, Faiz Fazal deserves a few chances in the middle-order after the World Cup next year.

#9 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya will be India's No.7 in the World Cup

Baroda all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been India's consistent No.7 in all the formats since his debut and he will continue with the same responsibility in next year's World Cup too.

Although Hardik has failed to do justice to the fan's expectations as a fast bowling all-rounder, he is still the best in the country for that position. He is injured right now and will look to get some game time next year to prepare for the World Cup.

# 10 Jayant Yadav

Jayant Yadav is out of the reckoning for India squad

Haryana's spin bowling-all rounder Jayant Yadav had a decent debut Test series in which he got his maiden Test century and also a few wickets. He made his ODI debut in 2016 and has played a sole ODI for India.

Jayant has also failed to impress in IPL which has put him completely out of the national reckoning. It would be very difficult for him to make a comeback now.