3 Top domestic performers who deserve a chance in India’s ODI team

Domestic cricket lays the marker for every player to make it to the national team across any format. When it comes to the 50-over format, a brilliant performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is a must to make the waves in Indian cricket. With as many as 38 teams competing in the domestic circuit, the tournament tests players a lot in terms of capability, and only top performers get highlighted at the end of it. 

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With the ODI World Cup still two years away, India has a chance to keep a pool of players ready based on their performances in the domestic circuit. 

On that note, here are the top 3 domestic performers who deserve a chance in India’s ODI team:

1. Abhishek Sharma

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Abhishek Sharma is an exciting young player who opens the innings. He amassed 467 runs in just eight matches in the last season of Vijay Hazare Trophy for Punjab at an average of 58.37 and a strike rate of 130.44 with a century and three fifties. 

He also picked nine wickets including a four-wicket haul which proves he can be a handy bowler too. To have a part-time bowler and an opener is a bonus these days in One-Day cricket and Abhishek can really fit into the scheme of things for India.

2. Ravichandran Smaran

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R Smaran from Karnataka has been making waves with his performances in domestic cricket. He finished as the second highest run-scorer for Karnataka in their title-winning season last time around. 

Smaran scored 433 runs batting in the middle-order in seven innings at an average of 72.16 and a strike rate of 100.23 with two tons and as many fifties. His ability to rotate the strike in the middle overs is gold in One-Day cricket especially in an era when all players are looking to smack sixes on every other delivery. 

Smaran is a typical One-Day player and the Indian team will need his expertise going forward on tricky pitches who can play according to the situation.

3. Karun Nair

Karun Nair had a dream domestic season last time around. He finished as a leading run-getter of the tournament while playing for Vidarbha. He is batting like a dream at the moment and deserves at least a chance to prove his mettle at the international level. 

Nair amassed 779 runs in just eight innings in the last season of Vijay Hazare Trophy at an impeccable average of 389.5. He remained unbeaten on six occasions and was dismissed only twice throughout the season smashing five centuries and a fifty with 93 fours and 16 sixes to his name. 

His best score was an unbeaten knock of 163 runs and scored all his runs at an impressive strike rate of 124.04. Karun Nair has played two ODIs before for India, way back in 2016 on the tour of Zimbabwe and scored 46 runs at an average of 23.

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