Best Under-25 XI in One-day Internationals

Even amid shifting norms, there is one thing that has stayed constant- the importance of youth in the world of cricket.

A lot has changed in the game of cricket in the last two decades or so. Not just in terms of the game or the manner in which it is played, but also in the sense of mushrooming domestic leagues, the advent of the shorter formats, and the perpetually rising competition. There has been a lot happening around cricket as well as in it.

Newer formats have left their colour on the older ones. The definition of a good bowler has changed over the years. So has the meaning of a good batsman. 9 and 10 runs per over have become a thing in cricket. The economy of 7 or 8 for a bowler, which might have been frowned upon earlier, have become acceptable today. Consistency and stability, and not simple talent, is what matters the most today.

Even amid these shifting norms, there is one thing that has stayed constant- the importance of youth in the world of cricket. In fact, the need for vibrant and young talent has only increased and we can agree that it has helped the game to prosper. Limited-over leagues from all around the world- be it Indian Premier League, Mzansi Super League, Caribbean Premier League, or the Pakistan Super League- have unearthed magnificent talents who translated themselves into promising players in other formats as well.

With the passage of time, dedicated events such as age-specific World Cups and tournaments, have given a platform to the new-age cricketers to rise up the ranks and show their mettle. And what better note than this to look at some of the finest young talents from all over the world who have made it big and will make it bigger in the times to come! The selection criterion is fairly simple as only the players who are under the age of 25 years have been chosen.

Let’s take a look at who makes the cut:

1. Prithvi Shaw

Call him the next-big-thing or the junior run machine, neither would be wrong. A precocious wunderkind from Mumbai, Prithvi Shaw grabbed the spotlight immediately when he piled a mammoth inning of 546 in a Harris Shield match in Mumbai at a tender age of 14.

A solid technique, immaculate footwork, fearless hitting, and a voracious appetite to score runs make him a befitting contender in the greats-in-the-making list. After scoring boatloads of runs in age-level and domestic cricket, he made a grand arrival at the big stage by playing a pivotal role in India’s 2018 Under-19 World Cup triumph.

In 33 List A encounters, Shaw has 1384 runs at an average of a shade under 42 with 7 half-centuries and 4 centuries to his name. The Mumbai player has played all of his 3 ODIs in the debut series against New Zealand earlier this year.