Stats included are of 2024*

Saim Ayub (Pakistan)

7 Tests, 364 runs @ 26, HS: 77

The Pakistan opener made his Test debut against Australia at the start of last year but was dismissed for a duck. Having been picked for that tour over the promising Mohammad Huraira, Ayub scored 33 in the second innings, top-scoring for his side in Sydney.

He kept his place for the Bangladesh Tests, making a gritty fifty in Rawalpindi after his side had slipped to 16-3. He scored 1, 58, 20, 4 and 5 in his next five innings as the pressure mounted on him but a crucial 77 in Multan against England put silent questions over his place, at least for the time being. Though Ayub has yet to show the desired consistency that he has in white-ball cricket, he has the potential to make it big.

Sam Konstas (Australia)

1 Test, 68 runs @ 34, HS: 60

Though Konstas has played just one Test and performed in one innings, there seems something special about the player. Unafraid of going after Jasprit Bumrah, unfazed after the run-in with Virat Kohli and revelling in the atmosphere at the MCG, Konstas had a dream debut. The 19-year-old, who had played only 11 first-class games before the Australia call-up has shown the temperament that it takes to belong at the stage, but should remember a thin line exists between confidence and arrogance.

Jacob Bethell (England)

3 Tests, 260 runs @ 52, HS: 96

Bethell was handed a surprise debut against New Zealand, seemingly being considered as a punt too far under coach Brendon McCullum. The left-hander became the first debutant since 1978 to be picked in the England XI without a first-class ton. He had never batted at No.3 and averaged 25.44 in domestic cricket, but three games into his Test career, there are already discussions about replacing him with Ollie Pope at three from next summer.

Bethell made three fifties against New Zealand, falling short of his maiden hundred at Wellington and has shown he can play the waiting game as well as his shots, according to the game situation. While his unbeaten 50 in the first Test came in 37 deliveries, he flipped his approach at Hamilton, striking at 36.36 for his 12 runs.

Tristan Stubbs (South Africa)

8 Tests, 500 runs @ 35.71, HS: 122

Stubbs, known for his big-hitting in the shorter format, showed that he could become an all-format option after grinding it out for his maiden Test hundred against Bangladesh. His 106 at Chattogram came in 198 balls, as he combined with Tony de Zorzi for over 56 overs. Two innings later, he also scored a patient 122 against Sri Lanka at home, a far contrast to the time when he scored his maiden Test fifty, making 68 in 50 balls against the West Indies.

Stubbs has played only 17 domestic first-class games but has hit seven hundreds, including 302*, giving a glimpse of the talent he possesses.

Sarfaraz Khan (India)

6 Tests, 371 runs @ 37.10, HS: 150

After much ado, Sarfaraz was finally handed a Test debut against England, showing he belonged at the stage from the very first innings. He made a 66-ball 62 and was unfortunate to be run out at Rajkot, before finishing off the game with an unbeaten 68 in the next innings. Sarfaraz was not picked for the Bangladesh Tests but made a strong comeback against New Zealand, smashing 150 after his team had been bowled out for 46 in the first innings.

He was India’s only centurion in that home series but was unable to make a mark in the next two Tests. Sarfaraz is yet to play a Test outside India but it should be only be a matter of time before he becomes a permanent fixture.

Jamie Smith (England)

9 Tests, 637 runs @ 42.46, HS: 111

Smith, who replaced Jonny Bairstow in England’s squad, impressed immediately on debut, with a knock of 70 against the West Indies at Lord’s. Yet another prodigious talent who silenced naysayers, Smith became the youngest England wicketkeeper to score a hundred, breaking a 94-year record en route to his 111 against Sri Lanka. Away from England, he top-scored for his side in the third Test at Rawalpindi, making 89 after they had been reduced to 118-6.

Nitish Kumar Reddy (India)

4 Tests, 294 runs @ 49, HS: 114
3 wickets @ 49.33, BBI: 1-21

Reddy’s Test selection for Australia had belied any logic. He had played just 23 first-class games and averaged 21 with the bat with just one hundred, making it into the team primarily for his ability to bowl seam. Four Tests into the series and he has emerged as arguably the best batter for India. He has played with maturity, upped the ante when needed and tackled the opponent’s pace bowling trio with relative ease. His maiden Test hundred was a picture of emotions as the 21-year-old showed that he belonged, rising above a cast of struggling batters.

His selection as a No.8 has skewed the team balance, however, with the bowling depth dipping sharply after he managed to bowl just 210 balls in the series. He, thus, is slotted at No.7 in our XI, as a batter who could bowl and not an out-an-out all-rounder.

Gus Atkinson (England)

11 Tests, 52 wickers @ 22.15, BBI: 7-45

Atkinson, who made his debut this year against the West Indies, picked up seven wickets in his very first innings. It has only been an upward trajectory since for the 26-year-old, who has taken three five-fors in 21 innings. Atkinson has gone wicketless just once, scalping three or more wickets in an innings six times. He ended the year with the hat-trick, which also helped him become the fastest Englishman since Ian Botham to pick up 50 Test wickets.

Shoaib Bashir (England)

15 Tests, 49 wickets @ 40.16, BBI: 5-41

Bashir made his Test debut against India, ending the tour with 17 wickets in five innings. His pace and bounce impressed Ben Stokes, who had seen a video clip of the spinner on social media, earning him a surprise selection on the tour, just six first-class matches into his career. Bashir eventually leapfrogged Jack Leach to become the first-choice Test spinner for England. While he ended the year with a rich bag of 49 wickets, his average of 40 shows there's still a lot of room for improvement, especially in terms of his control and consistency.

William O’Rourke (New Zealand)

10 Tests, 36 wickets @ 24.80, BBI: 5-34

The six-foot-four quick has utilised his height well, hitting the deck hard and extracting bounce. He picked up nine wickets in his maiden Test but the highlight was his 8-104 against Sri Lanka, a country that has traditionally not been the greatest for touring fast bowlers. He did not have the most memorable outing against India, but did impress in Bengaluru, picking up four and three wickets across the two innings.

Shamar Joseph (West Indies)

8 Tests, 29 wickets @ 26.75, BBI: 7-68

Who can forget the Brisbane Test, when Shamar ran through the Australia batting line-up with an injured toe, handing an emotional win to the Windies? Having made his debut in Adelaide, where he picked up a five-for in his first innings, Shamar became an overnight sensation with his performance at the Gabba. He has largely blown hot-and-cold since then, averaging 34.43 and conceding nearly four runs an over, but is still one of the prime talents to emerge from 2024.

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