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As cricket enthusiasts eagerly turn the pages of their calendars to welcome the year 2024, anticipation is reaching new heights for a season of power-packed cricketing action.
Amidst the speculations about which cricketers will shine the brightest in the coming year, former England captain Nasser Hussain has weighed in with his insights, singling out two world-class batters destined for a blockbuster 2024.
Nasser’s first choice: The undisputed megastar from India
The first name on Hussain’s list is none other than the Indian maestro, Virat Kohli. In a video released by ICC, Hussain hailed Kohli as a megastar and praised his stellar performance in 2023, particularly during the ODI World Cup.
The former England skipper also went on to highlight the India cricketer’s technical brilliance, emphasizing that he has never seen Kohli bat as well as he did in 2023.
“My first one is definitely a mega star. I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. Virat Kohli. Obviously, he had a fantastic 2023 and World Cup. Amid all the records he broke and the attention, we did not focus on how well he was batting. Technically, I have never seen Virat bat as well like that. The sound of the bat, that innings against Sri Lanka in Mumbai,” said Nasser Hussain in a video released by ICC.
“I can name about five innings where he was getting in a good position. That is a good sign for Virat, India and Virat fans. It means that he is in a good mental space and his game is in good order,” he added.
The year recap of India cricketer picked by Nasser
Kohli’s resurgence across formats in 2023 was indeed remarkable. Finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with 2048 runs in 35 international matches at an astonishing average of 66.06, Kohli silenced his critics with eight centuries and a stellar ODI World Cup campaign. Kohli emerged as the highest run-scorer in the prestigious event with an impressive 765 runs in 11 innings, breaking several records along the way.
The Delhi-born cricketer bid farewell to 2023 in style as well, smashing a brilliant fifty against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test, standing out as the lone warrior for the Indian side.
Also READ: 7 overseas cricketers who got married in 2023
Nasser’s second choice: The elegant batter from Pakistan
Hussain’s second pick for a blockbuster 2024 is the elegant Pakistani batter, Babar Azam. The former captain believes it is a massive year for Babar and Pakistan, especially since he has recently relinquished the captaincy. Hussain suggests that this decision might have lifted a considerable burden off Babar’s shoulders, allowing him to focus on what he does best – scoring runs. According to Hussain, Babar’s performance will be crucial for Pakistan, particularly with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.
“Another one, they are often compared. Babar Azam. I think it is a massive year for him and Pakistan. He has given up captaincy, that may be the weight off his shoulders. The biggest thing he can do for Pakistan cricket is get shed load of runs. They need him to get runs. There will be a T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. They got to the finals last time. They will need their ex-skipper to put in a real performance,” said Nasser.
The year recap of Pakistan cricketer picked by Nasser
Babar Azam’s journey in 2023 was indeed a rollercoaster, culminating in his stepping down from the captaincy after Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the ODI World Cup. Despite the challenges, Babar showcased his batting prowess, amassing 1065 runs in 25 ODIs with an average of 46.30.
However, the year did not end on a positive note for the Pakistani superstar as he could not manage a single fifty against Australia in the opening two games of the three-match Test series, which were Pakistan’s last assignments in 2023.
