The current "Fav Four" has been ruled the World of cricket for the last 4-5 years. As we all know that they are the best in their business for their respective countries. Like Kohli for India, Smith for Australia, Joe Root for England, and Kane for his side New Zealand. They have proven themselves as the top batsman of this generation by performing in every country. Be it home or away they always stay among runs and thus make them the "Fav Four".
But here the question is who will be the next fav four? However, in this article, SportzPoint will solve your all problems regarding the next "Fav Four". Let's check out the likely "Fab Fours" of the next generation.
The first player that comes to our mind is the current No 1 ranked Test batsman, Marnus Labuschagne. Marnus has all the ability to be among the four players who can be the future Fab four of the game. He has played brilliantly throughout his career so far. In 38 innings, Labuschagne has scored 2171 runs with an impressive average of 58.68. In his 22 test career matches, he has registered 12 fifties and six centuries including one double century. Meanwhile, 215 runs are his highest score in the longest format of the game.
In 13 ODIs, Labuschagne has aggregated 473 runs with an average of 39.42 and registered the highest score of 108 in the format. Although, Labuschagne has not played a single T20I game for his country he has performed well in his domestic franchise league BBL.
The second player on this list is none other than Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. Babar has played some crucial and brilliant knocks for his team whenever needed across formats. The skipper has shown his skills to world cricket in all forms of the game. Babar has been phenomenal in the white-ball format of the game since his ODI debut in 2015. He has smashed 3985 runs in ODIs at a huge average of 56.93 and 2620 runs in T20Is with an average of 45.17.
He has also shown his ability in Red Ball cricket. In 66 innings in Tests, he has aggregated 2461 runs with an average of 43.18. Babar has also registered 19 half-centuries and 5 centuries in his Test career. He has 14 ODI centuries and also one T20I century under his name in just 8 years of white-ball career. Thus, he is obviously one of the top contenders of the next generation "Fav Four".
The third player on this list is one of the best overseas test batsmen, Rishabh Pant. Pant has shown the world that not only in white-ball but also in red-ball cricket, he can score big with his techniques and abilities. From England to Australia he has played some crucial knocks under pressure to prove his long-run ability in a white jersey. In 27 Tests, Pant has managed to score 1608 runs with an average of 37.8. Pant has smashed 7 half-centuries and three centuries in his Test career so far.
Coming towards the white-ball format, Pant has smashed 529 runs in ODIs at an average of 33.06 and 623 runs with an average of 23.07. So, he has a decent white balk record along with a good record in Test cricket. In white ball, Rishabh Pant has so far registered 5 centuries to his name since his T20I debut in 2017. Although, Pant has not had a hugely impressive record to tell it's sure that in the future he will be an asset for team India across formats.
The fourth and final player on this list is New Zealand batsman Devon Conway. He is one of the most consistent performers in white-ball cricket since his debut at Lord's last year against England. In his debut game, he has scored a century for New Zealand and became only the second player after former Indian skipper, Sourav Ganguly, to smash a century on his debut game at Lord's. Since his debut game, Conway has smashed 623 runs in 9 innings with a brilliant average of 69.22. Devon Conway has registered 2 fifties and three centuries including a double century already after playing just 9 test innings.
Coming towards the white-ball format, Conway has played three ODIs and smashed 225 runs at an average of 75 and 602 runs in T20Is with an average of 50.17. In T20Is Conway has scored 4 fifties while in ODIs he has registered one fifty and one hundred to his name. Although, according to his age he is a little bit late to be among the four players. But, who can say? we might see him in the next Fab Four list as he is running in great form since his debut in international cricket.
What's your "Fav Four" of the next generation? Let us know in the comment section.
Youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century
Sachin Tendulkar leads the inspiring list of youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century, with his unbeaten 119 against England in 1990. Discover who else achieved this milestone at an young age.
Every young cricketer dreams of scoring a century for their nation on an international stage. But for a precious few, that dream became a jaw-dropping reality early in their careers.
India has been gifted with such memorable centuries by youngsters who later turned out to be cricketing legends. We are talking about Sachin Tendulkar and his unmatched legacy in the list of the youngest Indians to score an international century.
Check out the other names that follow up with their quality batting skills.
1. Sachin Tendulkar (17 years 107 days) | 1990
Saching Tendulkar getting praised by fellow cricketers as he walks down after his unbeaten 119 against ENG in 1990. | Mint
Sachin Tendulkar is the youngest Indian cricketer ever and the 3rd youngestoverall to score an international century with his maiden century at Old Trafford, in August 1990. At just 17 years and 107 days old, he scored an unbeaten 119 in the fourth innings, helping India to save the Test match against England.
Sachin not only announced his arrival on the global stage with this knock, but also helped India secure a draw in the test.
Prithvi Shaw celebrating his maiden Test century in 2018. Image | Instagram
Prithvi Shaw became the youngest Indian to score a century on Test debut and the second-youngest in this list of international centuries with his knock against the West Indies in October 2018. He was only 18 years and 329 days old at that time.
He reached his hundred in 99 balls and scored 134 runs in that innings, which marked a spectacular test debut.
3. Kapil Dev (20 years 18 days) | 1979
Kapil Dev representing India in tests. Image | Khel Now
India's legendary all-rounder, Kapil Dev, holds the third place with his century against the West Indies on home soil in 1979. It was his first test century, at the age of 20 years and 18 days. He was 126 not out in the particular innings.
4. Abbas Ali Baig (20 years 126 days) | 1959
Abbas Ali Baig representing India. Image | Getty Images
Abbas Ali Baig scored his first test century at the age of 20 years and 126 days against England in July 1959. This made him the first Indian to score a century on Test debut outside India and the fourth youngest centurion in this elite list.
Apart from his brilliant achievements in the field of cricket, he is also famously remembered for being kissed by a female fan during a Test match in Bombay.
Madhav Apte batting in a cricket match. Image | Facebook
The former Indian test opener, Madhav Apte, scored his only test century at the age of 20 years 137 days in January 1953 against the West Indies. He made 163 not out in the fifth test of the series.
Despite the impressive century and a good tour, his Test career was surprisingly short-lived, playing only 7 tests.
6. Ajay Ratra (20 years 148 days) | 2002
Ajay Ratra representing India in tests. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Ajay Ratra is a former wicket-keeper batter who also had a short-lived test career, comprising 6 test matches. However, he scored an impactful century at only 20 years and 148 days of age, which puts him in the 6th place for the youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century.
He scored this in May 2002 against the West Indies and helped India secure a draw on a flat pitch.
7. Ravi Shastri (20 years 248 days) | 1983
Ravi Shastri in action for India in tests. Image | BBC
Ravi Shastri scored his first test century in January 1983 at the age of 20 years and 248 days. He scored 128 in that innings against Pakistan's strong pace attack led by Imran Khan.
This innings transitioned him into an opening batsman, showcasing his finest skills and ability to adapt.
Vijay Manjrekar playing for India. Image| ESPNcricinfo
Vijay Manjrekar delivered a key performance on the international stage early in his career with his Test century against England in 1952. At the age of 20 years and 253 days, he stood elegantly against a great English bowling attack.
9. Gundappa Viswanath (20 years 276 days) | 1969
Gundappa Viswanath representing India in tests. Image | LatestLY
Gundappa Viswanath holds the 9th position with his maiden Test century against Australia in 1969, when he was 20 years and 276 days old. After a duck in his first innings, he bounced back with a magnificent 136 runs in the second innings.
This knock brought him into the limelight at an early age, and also helped the nation see his ability to score underpressure.
Rishabh Pant celebrating his maiden Test century in 2018 against England. Image | DNA
Rishabh Pant's aggressive and fearless approach came into light with his maiden Test century at 20 years and 338 days of age, making his way to the Top 10 youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century.
With this performance in 2018, Pant also became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a test century in England.
Every year, the Indian Premier League witnesses some incredible amounts of talent. To recognize that talent, the "IPL Emerging Player of the Year" award is given to a young player who has excelled throughout the competition. This season is also not different. Many young players showed their potential throughout the competition. In this Article, We'll look at the players who have won the IPL Emerging Player of the Season Award from the inaugural edition to the 2024 season.
The player should have been born after 1st April 1996.
Also, the player in contention should not have played more than 25 IPL matches at the start of an IPL season.
The player should not have played more than 20 ODIs and 5 Test matches.
The player in contention should not have won the award previously.
The slogan of theIndian Premier League is "Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi," which translates to "Where talent meets opportunity." It explains a lot about the motto of the tournament as it provides a platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent to the entire world.
Shreevats Goswami from Royal Challengers Bangalore became the first player to win the Emerging Player of the Season award in IPL 2008 while Rohit Sharma won it in the 2009 edition playing for Deccan Chargers. Mustafizur Rahman is the only foreign player to claim the award so far, winning it in the 2016 season.
MI's Saurabh Tiwary won the award in 2010 while CSK's Iqbal Abdullah won it in 2011. Both players struggled after getting the award as they failed to replicate their heroics going ahead in their careers.
The other prominent names to win the award are Sanju Samson (2013), Axar Patel (2014), Shreyas Iyer (2015), Rishabh Pant (2018), Shubman Gill (2019) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (2021). Speedster Umran Malik won the award in the 2022 season. Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal won the IPL 2023 Emerging Player of the Season Award. SRH's Nitish Kumar Reddy won the IPL 2024 Emerging Player of the Season Award.
IPL Emerging Player Winners List: From 2008 to 2023:
U19 World Cup winner Shreevats Goswami was the first player to win the Emerging Player Award. He played for RCB that year and played a few brilliant knocks. He scored 82 runs in that season in four matches to get the award.
IPL 2009: Rohit Sharma (Deccan Chargers)
Rohit Sharma was awarded the IPL Emerging Player of the Season award in 2009 | Image: X
Indian present captain Rohit Sharma already was coming after winning the T20 World Cup with India. In 2009, a young Rohit powered Deccan Chargers to their maiden IPL title. He scored 362 runs in 16 matches for his side and also picked up 11 wickets including a hat-trick. He later led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles. Rohit Sharma is the most successful player in terms of titles in IPL history.
IPL 2010: Saurabh Tiwary (Mumbai Indians)
Saurabh Tiwary was an excellent batsman for Mumbai Indians in 2010. He scored 419 runs and won the Emerging Player Award. The left-handed batter scored three fifties in that season. But, he couldn't replicate those performances in the following seasons.
IPL 2011: Iqbal Abdulla (Kolkata Knight Riders)
KKR's Iqbal Abdulla was one of the key players in Gautam Gambhir's first season at the franchise. The left-arm spinner picked up 16 wickets in the tournament and took the Knight Riders to the playoffs, a first in their history. Abdulla was a very strict bowler who didn't concede many runs. He was awarded the Emerging Player Award but wasn't able to replicate those performances in the next season.
IPL 2012: Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)
Punjab Kings were known as Kings XI Punjab back then and Mandeep Singh was a key performer for them in 2012. Mandeep scored 432 runs in the tournament at an average of 27 and was the highest scorer for Punjab in that season. He won the Emerging Player of the Season Award in the 2012 season and has played for multiple franchises since then.
IPL 2013: Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals)
Sanju Samson won the award in 2013 | Image: BCCI
Sanju Samson won the award in 2013. It was his breakthrough season at Rajasthan Royals and the Kerala-born scored 206 runs in that year. Rajasthan failed to advance to the playoffs but Samson was their brightest spark that season. He continued that performance in the following seasons and now he has become the skipper of that franchise. He also led Rajasthan to the Playoffs this season but couldn't qualify for the Final.
IPL 2014: Axar Patel (Kings XI Punjab)
Axar Patel was 20 years old in the 2014 season and he was exceptional to watch. Axar picked up 17 wickets in that season and Punjab also went to the Final of the tournament. Interestingly, that was the last time Punjab ever qualified for the playoffs. But, Axar has been one of the most brilliant spin bowlers in the history of the IPL. He currently plays for Delhi Capitals.
IPL 2015: Shreyas Iyer (Delhi Daredevils)
Shreyas Iyer won the Emerging player award in the 2015 IPL season | Image: BCCI
Shreyas Iyer and his journey in the IPL started with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). In the year 2015, which was Shreyas' first exposure to the league, the batter scored 439 runs in 14 matches and was the 4th highest Indian run-getter. He scored four half-centuries that season with a highest of 83 against Mumbai Indians. He is currently captaining KKR and they are in the Final of IPL 2024.
IPL 2016: Mustafizur Rahman (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Mustafizur Rahman is IPL's only foreign Emerging Player so far. The Bangladeshi pacer was phenomenal for Sunrisers in 2016 and was a key contributor in their title-winning campaign. He picked up 17 wickets in the season and had one of the best economies (6.90 rpo) that year. He has contributed so much doesn't matter which team it is. He played in the IPL 2024 season with Chennai and impressed the fans once again.
Kerala's Basil Thampi had a stellar season with Gujarat Lions in 2017. Gujarat Lions replaced one of the suspended franchises Rajasthan Royals (2016 and 2017). Thampi picked up 11 wickets in that season and the Lions played the playoffs. However, they couldn't win the title. Basil wasn't able to replicate those performances in the following seasons that's why he is without a team right now.
IPL 2018: Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals)
Rishabh Pant scored 684 runs in the IPL 2018 season | Image: BCCI
Rishabh Pant was the 2nd highest run scorer in IPL 2018 with 684 runs for the Delhi Capitals. He was amazing for DC that season and scored with a Strike Rate of 173.6. His best knock that year came against SRH when he scored a superb 128 off just 63 balls. The left-handed wicketkeeper batter has grown so much since then and is now the captain of Delhi. He has won them so many matches and also is a key player of the Indian squad in all three formats.
IPL 2019: Shubman Gill (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Shubman Gill won the Emerging Player of the Season award in the 2019 season | Image: BCCI
Shubman Gill won the award in 2019 after scoring 296 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32. He was excellent for the Knight Riders that season including three half-centuries. He is currently captaining Gujarat Titans and also won the Orange Cap in the 2023 season. Gill is also an important member of the Indian squad.
Devdutt Padikkal was the highest run-getter for RCB in 2020. The left-handed batter scored 473 runs in 15 matches including five fifties. But, since then he has failed to replicate those performances.
IPL 2021: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)
Gaikwad won the Orange Cap and Emerging Player of the Season Award both in the IPL 2021 season | Image: BCCI
It didn't start well for Ruturaj Gaikwad in 2021. But the Chennai Super Kings batter made a brilliant comeback and scored 635 runs for his team that season including 4 fifties. Gaikwad was 24 that season and since then he has become a key part of Chennai's squad. He is also the captain of Chennai Super Kings.
IPL 2022: Umran Malik (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Umran Malik caused a lot of distress among batters in IPL 2022 with his raw pace. The SRH pacer was excellent with 22 wickets for them that season and won the Emerging Player Award. He also got an India call-up after his IPL heroics but couldn't do the same there. He also had a poor 2023 campaign in the IPL and due to that, didn't get enough opportunities in the 2024 season.
IPL 2023: Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals)
Yashaswi Jaiswal won the IPL 2023 Emerging Player of the Season Award | Image: BCCI
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 625 runs for Rajasthan Royals in the 2023 season. He was just 21 years old at that time. He scored five fifties and a superb hundred, which came against KKR. Jaiswal's brilliant batting took him to places in the last twelve months as he has made his place in the Indian Test team as well.
Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was awarded the Emerging Player title for the 2024 IPL season. The 21-year-old Nitish scored 303 runs at an average of 33.67 and a strike rate of 142.92, playing a crucial role in the SRH middle order. The right-handed batter’s best inning with the bat came against Rajasthan Royals, where he scored 76 runs in 42 deliveries with the help of 8 sixes. He also picked up three wickets while contributing with the bat.
IPL 2025: Sai Sudharsan (Gujarat Titans)
Sai Sudharsan brushed off competition from Priyansh Arya, Noor Ahmad, and other youngsters and walked away with the Emerging Player of the Season award. Sudharsan ended at the top of the run-getters chart with 759 runs, ahead of Suryakumar, Shubman Gill, Mitchell Marsh and Virat Kohli. He had an average of 54.21, with a strike rate of 156.17, a century and six fifties.
Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025?
After a disastrous IPL campaign with 13.73 average, the entire nation has this one question to ask: Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025? Read to know more.
The 2025 IPL season has delivered a brutal reality check for Rishabh Pant. After being picked up by LSG for 27 crore, he turned out to be the most expensive flop of this season.
Can a player sustain an international career after such disappointing performance? Is Rishabh Pant's T20I career nearly over after a horrific IPL 2025?
Let's dive into the cold facts.
The disappointing IPL 2025 numbers
Rishabh Pant slipping down the pitch during a match in IPL 2025. Image | Facebook
Rishabh Pant was picked up by Lucknow Super Giants as the most expensive player in IPL history for ₹27 crore, which proved to be totally not worth it. He only managed to score 151 runs in 13 matches with an average of 13.73 and a strike rate barely crossing 107.
He is the lowest scorer among all the LSG batters in IPL 2025. Apart from batting performance, he also failed as a captain. The team only won 6 matches out of 13 and lost their playoffs berth under Pant's captaincy.
Pant's questionable descision-making, poor shot selections, and a complete lack of form did not justify the big price tag ahead in the auction.
The T20I context: India's current pool and future outlook
Rishabh Pant's position is now critically questionable as India's T20 squad selection prioritizes consistency in batting, high strike rates, and adaptable wicket-keeping.
The current pool of contenders are highly competitive and has the potential to outperform Pant.
KL Rahul: His current form in IPL 2025 is magnificent and he has consistently performed well for the team. Rahul's ability to anchor and accelerate has again brought him into T20I contention.
Sanju Samson: Yet another prime contender with high experience and quality performance. He also holds the ability to blend well into the format.
Dhruv Jurel: A promising young talent who also has the ability to make impactful finish for the team.
Ishan Kishan: The pocket dynamo who started his IPL 2025 season with a phenomenal century, and gained his spot in BCCI's central contract (2025), is another strong contender.
Where Rishabh Pant fits (or doesn't fit):
Rishabh Pant playing for team India in T20Is. Image | TOI
Following the poor performance of Rishabh Pant, several known names have speculated about his mental state and his inability to deal pressure. The former Indian cricketer, Kris Srikkanth, also suggested that Pant should consider taking a break from his format.
The modern T20 format demands a lot of things that Pant is completely missing:
Insufficient strike rate
Lack of clarity in shot-making
Inability to convert build innings
Diminished reliability as wicketkeeper-batter
No longer an unique left-handed power option
Difficulty handling run-rate pressure
Pant is missing the "X-factor" that he once possessed. Therefore, unless his form significantly improves soon and makes a comeback, his T20 career is effectively over.
Cricket has always been a bridge across cultures, a phenomenon that connects players with fans from all around the world. Situations often force people to migrate from one country to the other. There have been instances when cricketers were born in different nations but ultimately played for a different country.
Let's take a look at the cricket facts of cricketers who didn't play for their country.
Cricket Facts | Cricketers who didn't play for their country
5. Glenn Phillips (South Africa-born)
New Zealand cricket all-rounder Glenn Philips moved from East London, South Africa to New Zealand at the age of five. He pursued his education in New Zealand, where he began his cricket journey. Having made his domestic debut with Auckland, he signed with Otago to play alongside his brother, Dale Phillips, in 2022. Interestingly, he made his international debut against South Africa, the country where he was born.
4. Ish Sodhi (India-born)
Inderbir Singh 'Ish' Sodhi was born in Ludhiana, India, on October 31, 1992, and spent his early years in New Zealand. He made his New Zealand debut as a leg-spinner in 2013, and since then, he has been a reliable performer in limited-overs forms, contributing significantly to the country's T20 World Cup campaigns.
3. Devon Conway (South Africa-born)
After playing for Gauteng and the Highveld Lions, Devon Conway moved to New Zealand in 2017 and made an immediate impact. He was the leading run-scorer in both the 2018-19 Plunket Shield (659) and 2018-19 Super Smash (363). Conway became eligible to play for New Zealand in August 2020 and has since become a key player for them across all formats. He averages 36.72 after 27 Tests and has also made 36 ODI and 50 T20I appearances.
2. Marnus Labuschagne (South Africa-born)
Marnus Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp, in South Africa. His family moved to Australia when he was 10. Labuschagne made his Australia debut in Tests in 2018, after Steve Smith suffered an injury during the Ashes tour. Since then the prolific batter has emulated the batting prowess of his best friend and has not looked back.
Speaking of his impressive international cricket career for Australia, Marnus Labuschagne has played 57 Tests, scoring 4396 runs with 11 centuries, and played 63 ODIs, scoring 1869 runs with two centuries. He has also played one T20I match.
Ben Stokes was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June 1991. His family moved to Cumbria when Stokes was 12 years old after his father was appointed head coach at Workington Town Rugby League Club.
Stokes has played for England in all three formats. Stokes is regarded as one of England's greatest all-rounders in the history of the sport. In domestic cricket, he represents Durham and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues around the world. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.
IPL 2025: Here are the overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament
Will your favourite overseas IPL star leave mid-season? Check out the list of overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament in IPL 2025.
As IPL 2025 faced disruptions and was suspended on 9th May, 2025, most of the overseas players returned back to their respective home countries.
The tournament is set to resume from 17th May, 2025, and it raises a crucial question about how many overseas players can rejoin their franchises.
Given their international commitments and other issues, check out the overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament in IPL 2025 for each team.
IPL 2025 Points Table
Firstly, see where each team stands before the tournament resumes.
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