The best 28-year olds in International cricket at present

Every year, the world welcomes a new crop of geniuses, geniuses in their own rights – virtuosos, wizkids, and brainiacs. They grow up to dominate their respective fields, thus posing as a role model for youngsters in every walk of life. And it is often that we see players from the same age group do well at the international stage. 1988, in particular, presented us with a sparkling bunch of future cricketing role models. These 28-year olds are currently tasting success after having rapidly risen up from a grassroots level. From being proud representatives of their countries to being ambassadors of the gentleman’s game, they possess the accolades that matter the most in professional cricket. CricTracker takes a look at some of the most successful cricketers who are currently on the right side of 30. 1. Tamim Iqbal (Born March 20, 1989) Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images) Tamim Iqbal has consistently been a pillar of hope for Bangladesh at the opening slot. His fearless brand of batting allows him to score runs freely, often painting a colourful wagon wheel. The aggressive left-handed batsman is one of Bangladesh’s most experienced and revered cricketers. He has 10886 international runs in his account and is going strong to pile on bigger numbers. While displaying elegance and class in his strokeplay, Tamim can also smack the ball a fair distance on occasions. Along with the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal has revitalized Bangladeshi cricket – the Tigers are not a team to be trifled with anymore. 2. Trent Boult (Born July 22, 1989) Trent Boult of New Zealand. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) New Zealand’s Trent Boult has grown from strength to strength to develop into a considerable threat with the new ball. He swings it like a scimitar, trapping batsmen smack bang in front of the stumps. With exactly 300 international wickets under his belt, Boult has certainly made a statement in world cricket. Injuries have hampered the left-arm seamer’s progress at times, but that did not stop Sir Richard Hadlee from rating him as ‘one half of the best new-ball pair in New Zealand history’. 3. David Miller (Born June 10, 1989) South Africa’s batsman David Miller. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images) There are few who don’t remember David Miller’s furious display of batting in the 2013 IPL – a daring 101 not out which resurrected the Kings XI Punjab from 64/4 en route a steep target of 191 set by RCB. Oh, and before I forget, that century came off just 38 deliveries. That’s what Miller can do to you when he’s on song. Unfortunately for South Africa, his national side, the left-hander hasn’t come too close to that monstrous self of his which deposits every second ball into the stands. Nevertheless, he remains a force to reckon with, especially in the limited overs format. 4. Glenn Maxwell (Born October 14, 1988) Australia’s Glenn Maxwell. (Photo by ISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Unorthodoxy is his default approach to the game, which makes Glenn Maxwell one of world cricket’s most entertaining players to watch. As Ravi Shastri loves to say, ‘when he hits them, they stay hit’. Maxi is as clever a batsman as there is. He begins the innings with a reverse-sweep six over point and takes blinders on the field. His destructive batting has been the backbone of the Kings XI Punjab’s short-lived success. The Australian is one of the select few cricketers who can boast of an international century in all three formats of the game, with the highest score of 145 not out – in a T20I. 5. Ravindra Jadeja (Born December 6, 1988) Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: Twitter) The moment Ravindra Jadeja nears his fifty, the crowd eagerly waits for him to get to the milestone, simply so that they can witness his polished ‘sword-dance’. Jaddu, as he is fondly known, has transitioned from being an extra batsman in the team to a world-class finger spinner. The Ashwin-Jadeja duo wreaked havoc in India’s highly successful season of Test cricket in 2016-17, so much so that the two began to compete fiercely for the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings. The fact that Jadeja won the battle to push Ashwin to number 2 speaks volumes about the left-armer’s calibre as a bowler. His accuracy is unmatched – he can pitch the ball on one spot of the wicket over after over. Speaking of accuracy, it’s best you don’t take on his arm, because 9 out of 10 times, he will run you out. 6. Steve Smith (Born June 2, 1989) Steve Smith of Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) If you wind the clock back a few years, you’ll notice Steve Smith had come into the Australian squad as a leg-spinner. Who would have thought that this often wayward leggie would go on to assert his dominance over world cricket with his slightly unorthodox batting? Australia’s captain has waded into controversies, true, but that takes nothing away from the fact that he is one of the best batsmen in the circuit today. Within seven years of playing international cricket, Smith has notched up close to 10,000 international runs, with the highest individual score of 215 in a Test match. Smith also boasts of a healthy average of 59.66 in Tests, while being in the mid-40s in ODIs. The proudest moment in his career would have certainly been hitting the winning runs in the 2015 World Cup final in a trans-Tasmanian contest. 7. Virat Kohli (Born November 5, 1988) Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter) Analyzing Virat Kohli, or even summarizing his achievements in world cricket is a fairly difficult task. To put it in perspective, this man got to 30 ODI hundreds in less than 190 innings, while the great Sachin Tendulkar – who is the textbook definition of what batting should be – got to that milestone in his 267th innings. Kohli has swashbuckled his way to the pinnacle of international cricket with near-impossible chases and outrageous batsmanship. His impeccable cover drives are only matched by his flicks through the mid-wicket region, where he displays the sub-continental ‘wristiness’ at its best. But Kohli’s greatness doesn’t stop with the willow. Walking down the yellow-brick road laid by Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli has taken aggressive captaincy one step further. The days of Indian cricketers being silent on the field are long gone, and at the helm is a fiery and hungry Kohli, who has often given the Australians a taste of their own medicine. All said and done, he is easily one of the biggest superstars the sport has ever produced, and he is certainly a heartthrob among all Indian fans.

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The best 28-year olds in International cricket at present

The year 1988, in particular, presented us with a sparkling bunch of future cricketing role models.

5. Ravindra Jadeja (Born December 6, 1988)

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