10 of the world’s best young cricket players who all have the potential to be major stars

With Test match cricket back on our TV screens, naturally, the discussion turns towards the players of the future. Who will be the next James Anderson or Ricky Ponting? Who is the next cricket superstar we should all look out for?

Aaron Jaffe gets his first writing cap for the Sporting Blog by tackling these questions by suggesting 10 players you should keep an eye on. There will be some cricketers on this list that you have heard of, and some that will be household names very soon.

These are 10 young cricketers with the potential to become superstars.

Sam Curran - England

At 22 years old, Sam has already positioned himself as a strong contender for T20 and Test match squads for England. Having made his test debut as the 686th player to represent England against Pakistan in June 2018, Sam immediately made a name for himself after taking four wickets and scoring a half-century. He followed that up by picking up his first Man of the Match award against India.

With the ability to play as an all-rounder, Curran has already played over 50 first-class matches for Surrey, scoring over 2,000 runs and taking more than 60 wickets. He has also appeared in high-profile competitions such as the Vitality Blast & the IPL and is set to play in the Hundred for the Oval Invincibles. Whether it is his determination when batting in the middle order or taking wickets worldwide, he is surely a star ready to shine in the England national side. If he can stay injury-free his potential is limitless at t

Naseem Shah - Pakistan

The 17-year-old fast bowler already has four professional Pakistan test appearances and 13 wickets, having made his debut in 2019 aged only 16. Naseem is one of Pakistan's leading prospects & has bowled regularly for local side Quetta Gladiators. He announced his arrival on the global cricket stage by taking his first international test wicket against one of Australia's most elite & accomplished batsman, David Warner in late 2019. He is, without doubt, a major reason why the cricket loving fans of Pakistan are excited about the future.

Mujeeb Al Rahman - Afghanistan

When Middlesex needed a new star bowler for the 2019 Vitality Blast, they approached then 18-year-old Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Having taken over 150 wickets in both ODI & T20 formats he had already proved his suitability for English cricket when he was signed by Hampshire in 2018. Not only is he one of the leading bowlers for his country, Afghanistan, but he has also made appearances in Australia's Big Bash and the IPL for Brisbane & Kings Punjab.

Josh Philippe - Australia

Although Josh has not made his debut for Australia competitively, he has made outstanding numbers in List A, First Class & T20 domestically, with a combined total of 2232 runs. Josh also started in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore where he stood out for his wicketkeeper-batsman role. At 23 years old, with Australia's batsman-wicket keeper & captain Tim Paine coming towards the end of his career, it is surely not too long before Josh enters the international scene.

Rachin Ravindra - New Zealand

Scouts at the U19 Cricket World Cup were surprised to see New Zealand giving a young all-rounder a chance to impress throughout the tournament. Rachin Ravindra had already posted great numbers in all formats of the game and was offered a full contract by Wellington for the 2020-21 season. It's not too long before the New Zealand senior team, who were finalists at the 2019 World Cup, will look for another all-rounder and Rachin should be a solid option. Not only does he perform at the crease, but can also take wickets, which is a much-vaunted quality in the modern game.

Zak Crawley - England

Zak has represented his local county, Kent since the age of 13 and is now a top batsman in their first class and T20 side. He has scored over 2,000 runs in only 40 matches for Kent and has made 6 full England test appearances. Standing at 6"5, Zak is a very skilful player with the expertise & vision to spot where to place all his shots. At only 22, Zak is set for a very bright future ahead with the Three Lions.

Ollie Pope - England

As one of the few players on the list who has already established themselves worldwide, Ollie is a name on the lips of every England & Surrey fan after brilliant performances in T20 and the County Championship. Ollie had his breakout season in 2018 when he won Surrey's Player of the Year Award after averaging 70 runs per game and made his test debut at the Home of Cricket for the Three Lions.

Although Ben Foakes has been known to keep for Surrey, Ollie also can perform that role, as well as bat in the top order, scoring over 3,000 runs for his club. As the potential turns into reality, the name "Ollie Pope" will be known among cricket fans worldwide.

Rishabh Pant - India

The talented batsman has already hit over 1500 runs in all formats for the India National Team and is a regular starter in their Test, ODI & T20I matches. Rishabh, like many other Indian batsmen, started in the IPL for Delhi Daredevils and has already appeared in 50+ matches. He made his international T20 debut at only 19 years old and his durability and stamina allowed him to be a starting batsman and keep wicket for most matches. Although his wicket-keeping has been occasionally criticised, he is a popular contender for Rohit Sharma's place.

Shubman Gill - India

Regarded as one of the most talented and upcoming cricketers, at only 20 years old, Shubman Gill is a consistent top-order batsman who has already played loads of List A and First-Class matches for Punjab in India. Shubman has made two appearances in ODI matches for India, having appeared in the lower order for a tough series against a very strong & balanced New Zealand side. In over 70 combined matches for Punjab, Shubman has recorded close to 5,000 runs and has been highlighted as a key figure to look out for in the India Test & ODI side.

Tom Banton - England

Tom is full of confidence after hitting big runs in the Vitality Blast as a starter for Somerset, Banton is one of the most highly ranked batsmen in England. Although failing to hit the ground running in his six appearances for the Three Lions, a bit more experience for the 21-year-old should transform him into a spectacular cricketer. He has surpassed 900 runs in 30 matches and has played overseas competitively in India & Australia.