In most sports, a World Cup victory, achieved by ousting the best across the globe in a race to the finish, is the pinnacle. Some purists may argue that in cricket, a Test mace deserves highest recognition, but seldom have we heard great players lament not having taken their team to the top of the rankings in the Test arena.
You’ve come across articles detailing how Imran Khan’s legacy was bolstered by a World Cup win in 1992, and why Ian Botham doesn’t find himself on the pedestal that should have been his had England trumped Pakistan in the final in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar has confessed in more than one advertisement that “I was just 10 years old when I saw what it meant to bring the World Cup home.”
A solid outing at the World Cup for any player is a shot in the arm as it propels him into the world of elite, especially if it culminates in a triumph for his side. Nonetheless, even if it doesn’t end with the coveted trophy being bagged, it adds value to the player’s portfolio. And if it is someone playing his first World Cup, a standout performance becomes all the more glaring: Rahul Dravid (with 461 runs and an average of almost 66) during the 1999 World Cup can be used as case in point.
In the upcoming World Cup, too, a number of players are set to make their maiden appearance in what is arguably the sport’s Holy Grail. Of them are a few batsmen who look adept enough to alter a game’s outcome by their characteristic exploits. The list below looks at five debutant batsmen who could make their mark on the tournament.
Moeen Ali, England
Despite having only seven Tests and seventeen ODIs under his belt, Moeen Ali is already the cover star of this year’s Wisden Almanack. Nevertheless, the runs and wickets he’s usurped since the last few months completely justify the picture. The rate at which he’s scored those runs opening for England in the last few games, albeit uncharacteristic for an English opener, also prove why the country has pinned its hopes on him. With plenty of shots in his repertoire, be it against fast, medium or spin bowling, his style of batting could be the missing piece in England’s puzzle that has seen them fall short of making a rendezvous with the glittering Cup time and again.
David Miller, South Africa
Nicknamed “Killer Miller” for his wizardry with the willow donning the light pink for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, David Miller has taken that confidence when wearing the South African flannels, too. While the South African team is a powerhouse of the finest that will be on display during the World Cup, Miller’s inclusion has them pumped in the middle-order for they will not have to rely on just AB de Villiers heroics. The 25-year-old made his ODI debut in 2010 but missed out on 2011 World Cup held in the subcontinent. However, this time around he looks a sure bet, having impressed the mighty Hashim Amla with a maiden limited-overs century against the West Indies just a few days ago.
Rohit Sharma, India
While injury casts a shadow over his immediate availability, there is no doubting the fact that Rohit Sharma — who made his debut in 2007 but is yet to play a World Cup fixture — must shoulder heavy responsibility if India are to make inroads in this tournament when he is fit. With two double centuries scored in the confines of home, he provided more than a glimpse of what he is capable of, while his recent ton against Australia in Australia has silenced naysayers, at least in this shorter format of the game. With a weak Indian bowling attack to follow, and in the absence of the explosive Virender Sehwag, it will require Rohit Sharma to take the first step that ensures India post a total that is defendable. If he manages to do just that, there is little doubt that he will be worshipped.
David Warner, Australia
Like Rohit Sharma, David Warner, too, made his debut a few years before the 2011 World Cup, but missed out on a spot. The second highest run-scorer for Australia, after Steven Smith, in the last three months in all formats of the game combined, not only is Warner a certainty to make his World Cup debut this year, he’s most likely to lead Australia’s charge with the bat into the most significant stages of the tournament. His growing confidence has emboldened him to envision that India are incapable of defending the World Cup this time around, while his willow suggests that Australia are most likely to bag the gold for the fifth time.
Joe Root, England
One of those rare English players to average over 40 in limited-overs cricket, Root has been more of a thorn in the flesh of the bowlers. Despite his skinny appearance, he’s repeatedly proved he can muscle the ball a good few stands across the rope, and not just in subcontinent-sized grounds, and employ stoic means if need be. Touted to lead the English side in due course of time, a decent outing at the World Cup could ensure that he is fast-tracked to bag that mantle.
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