5 Young Indian Players Who Now Deserve A Spot In The Test Team

A Test team of any country has a lot of responsibility since Test cricket is very different than the limited-overs format. Batting or bowling in a Test match has a lot of differences from the ODI or T20I cricket. In limited-overs format, bowlers have to take care of their economy and bowl only limited overs.

Whereas in Tests, it is all about picking wickets. In batting, a batsman’s strike rate doesn’t matter as there are unlimited overs to play. It is all about scoring big knocks and therefore batsmen need to safeguard their wickets at any cost in Test matches.

Since Test cricket requires so much responsibility, it is tough to bag a permanent seat in the national team. A player has to showcase consistent performances in First-Class cricket to make a debut for the national side in the longest format of the game.

Few Indian cricketers have managed to give stupendous performances in First-Class cricket in the last few years and they now deserve a chance to debut for the national side in Tests. Here we take a glance at 5 young Indian players who now deserve a spot in the Test team.

5 Young Indian Players Who Now Deserve A Spot In The Test Team

Abhimanyu Easwaran

Abhimanyu Easwaran is the first Indian cricketer who now deserves a chance in the Test team. The 25-year-old is a right-handed batsman who plays for Bengal at the domestic level. So far, he has scored 4401 runs in 111 innings in First-Class matches. He has an amazing average of 43.47. Abhimanyu has also smacked 13 centuries and 18 half-centuries in First-Class cricket so far. With such brilliant stats, he deserves a chance to represent the Test team of India.

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan is another young player who has shown consistent performances in First-Class cricket. The 23-year-old cricketer plays for Mumbai at the domestic level. In 26 First-Class matches, the right-handed batsman has smashed 1463 runs at an average of 66.50. He has also smacked 4 centuries and 4 half-centuries in FC cricket, along with an unbeaten triple century.

In the previous edition of Ranji Trophy 2019-20, Sarfaraz Khan finished as the 5th highest run-getter with 928 runs in 9 innings at an amazing average of 154.67. However, the middle-order batsman is yet to make a debut for the national Test team and should get a chance now.

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad is another batsman who should be given a chance in Tests. Ruturaj Gaikwad has managed to gain some limelight with his batting for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020 and 2021. His First-Class numbers are even more appealing. In 36 innings for his domestic team Maharashtra, the 25-year-old has scored 1349 runs at an average of 38.54.

He also accounts for 4 centuries and 6 half-centuries. He has recently made up for the Indian squad for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, which consists of the ODI and T20I series. However, Gaikwad also deserves a chance in the Test team.

Arzan Nagwaswalla

Arzan Nagwaswalla is a left-arm seam bowler who plays for Gujarat at the domestic level. In the last edition of the Ranji Trophy, the 23-year-old bowler picked 41 wickets in 8 games at an average of 18.37 along with 3 five-wicket hauls. He has played 16 First-Class matches so far and accounts for 62 wickets in 28 innings at an average of 22.53.

In his FC career, he has bagged 4 wicket-hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul. Nagwaswalla has also been selected as a stand-by player for the Indian Test team in the forthcoming Test series against England.

Avesh Khan

Avesh Khan is the 5^th player in this list. Avesh Khan is a right-arm pacer who impressed everyone with his bowling show in IPL 2021 for Delhi Capitals. He was the 2^nd leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 8 games. The 24-year-old is another stand-by bowler for India for the Test series against England in August-September later this year.

In First-Class cricket, he has picked 100 wickets in 46 innings at an average of 23.01. He accounts for 4 five-wickets hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul. With such a brilliant bowling show in First-Class, Avesh Khan definitely deserves a chance in the Test team.