Ahead of the latest issue of the Wisden Cricket Monthly, which reveals the 40 best young male cricketers in the world, here is a look back at the 2019 list, to evaluate how we fared.
Compiled with the help of writers across the world, players had to be aged 23 or under on August 1, 2019 to be eligible for inclusion. Rashid Khan claimed top spot, with Rishabh Pant in second place, and both have justified the hype. Rashid has excelled in all three formats, especially in T20 cricket, where he already has the world record for most wickets in the format. Pant has stamped his mark on Test cricket most of all, and he is tipped to challenge Adam Gilchrist for the title of the format’s greatest wicketkeeper-batter of all time.
The player in third place, however, demonstrates cricket’s fickle nature. Prithvi Shaw, at that point, fully warranted his tag as one of the world’s most exciting young players. He had carved a hundred on Test debut, seemingly at the vanguard of a group of Indian batters primed to take over from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, at some stage. But fitness, attitude and form have all been barriers to his progress. His last India cap came four years ago, and he is currently without an IPL franchise.
In general, however, the hit rate is a good one. The only other player in the top ten not in their country’s first-choice plans as it stands is Oshane Thomas, who burst onto the scene as a bulky, rapid West Indies fast bowler. He still earns selection for West Indies A, but younger fast bowlers such as Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph have outstripped him, with Alzarri Joseph, a few places below Thomas in the 2019 list, also in his way.
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At 11th place is another interesting case. Nicholas Pooran is an astonishing T20 cricketer, perhaps the best batter in the world at the moment. But he has also, as it stands, played his last international game, retiring from international cricket not long ago as the franchise pull proved too persuasive. He is not the only member of the list to call time on his international career, though the circumstances surrounding the exit of Australia’s Will Pucovski, in 31st position, are much different, with repeated concussions forcing him out of the professional game altogether.
One of the trickiest tasks in such a list is deciding which of India’s many, many talents will go on to forge long international careers. Such is the competition, especially in white-ball cricket, that an Indian player could be among the top five players in the world in their role, but limited to the IPL as their main stage due to the stars ahead of them. Some examples from the 2019 list include Rahul Chahar (30th), a leg-spinner who played the last of his seven white-ball internationals in 2021, Mayank Markande (38th), another leggie, who played one T20I a few months before the list was compiled, and Riyan Parag (40th), formerly the IPL’s youngest half-centurion, but only now making good on his promise, and featuring seven times for India in 2024. The inclusions of Washington Sundar (27th) and Shubman Gill (14th) have proven prophetic, the pair starring in India’s current Test series in England.
In all, only one of the list is yet to play international cricket in any format. And the list of current stars in the right age bracket but not making the cut is not extensive. All in all, a decent effort. Let’s check back in six years to see how the 2025 cohort are faring.
Wisden’s Best Young Players in the World 2019: The full list
1. Rashid Khan - Afghanistan
2. Rishabh Pant - India
3. Prithvi Shaw - India
4. Shimron Hetmyer - West Indies
5. Lungi Ngidi - South Africa
6. Sam Curran - England
7. Mustafizur Rahman - Bangladesh
8. Shadab Khan - Pakistan
9. Imam-ul-Haq - Pakistan
10. Oshane Thomas - West Indies
11. Nicholas Pooran - West Indies
12. Shaheen Shah Afridi - Pakistan
13. Mujeeb Ur Rahman - Afghanistan
14. Shubman Gill - India
15. Jhye Richardson - Australia
16. Alzarri Joseph - West Indies
17. Andile Phehlukwayo - South Africa
18. Sandeep Lamichhane - Nepal
19. Mehidy Hasan Miraz - Bangladesh
20. Hazratullah Zazai - Afghanistan
21. Wiaan Mulder - South Africa
22. Joe Clarke - England
23. Mohammad Hasnain - Pakistan
24. Mosaddek Hossain - Bangladesh
25. Ollie Pope - England
26. Lasith Embuldeniya - Sri Lanka
27. Washington Sundar - India
28. Saqib Mahmood - England
29. Keemo Paul - West Indies
30. Rahul Chahar - India
31. Will Pucovski - Australia
32. Phil Salt - England
33. Matt Renshaw - Australia
34. Will Jacks - England
35. Glenn Phillips - New Zealand
36. Josh Philippe - Australia
37. Josh Tongue - England
38. Mayank Markande - India
39. Ihsanullah - Afghanistan
40. Riyan Parag - India
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