It’s almost the end of another year of fantastic cricket where teams have managed to put in performances that have wowed many. Some individuals have managed to stand out and make themselves count and will be nominated mostly for the ODI cricketer of the year. Here are the contenders:
- Virat Kohli:
Another consistent year for the Indian skipper and he is still not done. Kohli was superb in the Champions Trophy and faltered only in a couple of games. He then moved to the West Indies and plundered more runs in the ODI Series there.
Then, he capped off a fantastic Sri Lanka tour with two centuries in the ODIs and a half-century after which he had a decent Australia ODI series. The New Zealand series will be the decider as to whether he wins the award or not.
- Joe Root:
One of Kohli’s adversaries and another consistent performer for England over the past few years, Root has come a long way since his debut in 2012. He is their number 3 and is the third highest run-getter in 2017 with 983 runs at an average of 70.21 and a strike rate of 92.12
He has been in great form this year and has been dismissed only four times below the 30 run mark in ODIs this year.
- Hasan Ali:
If there was one player who has really made 2017 his own, it is Pakistan’s bowling all-rounder, Hasan Ali. The fast bowler took 40 wickets in just 16 games of which the highlight was the 13 he took in 5 at the Champions Trophy.
He has a great Yorker and is still only 23 years of age, which means that he has a lot of potential and ability to move up and become a great player. He has started well and will look to further his reputation over the years.
- Rohit Sharma
India’s premier opening batsman has been absolutely fantastic in 2017 with his batting and talent. Rohit has hit a new lease of form this year after being sidelined with injury and showed his worth in all the series he played.
Despite missing the 5-match West Indies series, Rohit manages to find himself on top of the run-scoring chart at third place, which shows his authority. He managed 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries in ODIs this year and is still not done.
- Rashid Khan:
One of the brightest young talents to play cricket over the past few years, Rashid Khan is making a name for himself all over the world. The spin bowler has made even the most accomplished batsmen look silly with his bowling.
Rashid Khan has taken 36 wickets in 13 innings at a fantastic average of 10.11 and a strike rate of 15. His economy rate of 3.94 too is just phenomenal for an 18-year old.
