Perhaps no other team sport depends as much on individual performances as cricket does. From Sachin Tendulkar's Desert Storm innings, to Wasim Akram's hattricks, individual performances have often turned cricket matches, especially ODIs, on their heads.
The world cup brings together cricketing stars from all over the world who up their game in a bid to win the sport's most coveted prize. Listed below are 25 players who I think will be the ones to watch out for in the 2015 world cup. I am dividing them into four categories - Game Changers, Stalwarts, X Factors, and Wild Cards.
AB de Villiers - The best batsman and the most valuable player on the planet right now. He is the key to removing the 'chokers' tag that has haunted the Proteas for so long. However, he is often burdened with the dual responsibility of batting through to the end as well as scoring quick runs, which might prove to be his undoing. He is also arguably the best athlete the game has ever seen, and that's keeping Jonty Rhodes in mind. Sanjay Manjrekar rightly said that there should be a test to determine whether AB de Villiers is human or not. Game Changer.
Virat Kohli - The only batsman who can match de Villiers in limited overs cricket. While de Villiers is the master of improvisation and unorthodoxy, Kohli can often be equally lethal without playing a single unorthodox stroke. If he continues to bat at number 4, he would finish more innings, and his ability to snowball into an avalanche towards the end of an innings will come into play. He is the linchpin of India's batting order and will determine India's fate in the world cup one way or another. Game Changer.
Steve Smith - He has seen a meteoric rise in world cricket after hitting the purplest of patches in the last 18 months. Almost de Villier-esque in improvisation, he is extremely difficult to dismiss once he's set, and can score at will. He is an excellent fielder as was seen by the world in the IPL. His success will almost certainly ensure wins for Australia. Game Changer.
Mitchell Johnson - The fastest and most lethal bowler in the world. He has ensured with his performance in the last Ashes series that English batsmen will be terrified of him for as long as he plays. Constantly bowling into the ribcage of batsmen at over 145 kmph, his three over spells will be turning points in each of Australia's matches. Game Changer.
M S Dhoni - While he is never out of form in one-day cricket, he has not had the same impact on matches overseas as he used to. But as he's proven many a time, he always comes to play in the big matches. It is imperative that he promotes himself to number 5 so that he isn't always left trying to come back from behind after a batting collapse. This will also enable him to bat along with Kohli for long periods, ensuring that India's two best batsmen can feed off of each other. Stalwart.
Dale Steyn - The Steyn remover is not as deadly in colour as he is in the whites, but he is probably the greatest fast bowler that has ever lived. On the surface, it seems like he does not have too big an impact on a one-day game, but closer analysis reveals that a lot of wickets taken by fellow pacers Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander in this format are actually a direct result of the pressure applied by Steyn at the other end. Equally good with the new ball and at the death, he can be the perfect blend of a wicket taking and economical bowler. Stalwart.
Hashim Amla - I honestly don't know what to say about this man. On one hand, he has almost always played in very friendly conditions and easy match situations, and on the other, I'd be crazy to say that a player with his record is not an extremely gifted player. He recently became the fastest to 5000 ODI runs, beating the great Sir Viv Richards to the mark by 13 innings. It is important that he gives South Africa good starts for de Villiers to capitalise on. Stalwart.
Kumara Sangakkara - Few batsmen have hit a patch so purple this late in their careers. He is the best batsman Sri Lanka have ever produced, and is only 15 runs short of overtaking Ricky Ponting as the second highest ODI run getter of all time. This is his last world cup, and after having lost two world cup finals in a row, he will do all he can to ensure that there isn't a hattrick. He will consistently score runs, but his team needs to make sure that he is not forced to play the role of both linchpin and finisher. Stalwart.
Mahela Jayawardene - It is almost a given that Jayawardene would follow Sangakkara in any discussion of cricket, as they have been the twin pillars of Sri Lankan cricket for the last decade. Unlike Sangakkara, he has almost faded away in the twilight of his career, but he can still pack a helluva punch. He is much more adept at dealing with pressure in the big games than Sangakkara, and he proved that with his stunning hundred in the 2011 world cup final. Stalwart.
James Anderson - Even though I do not see England going very far in the world cup, they can do reasonably well in the group stage, and a lot of it is courtesy Anderson, one of the most skilled bowlers in world cricket. He's got the cricket ball on a leash, extracting swing, both conventional and reverse, where everyone else fails to. He will be a handful on the lively pitches of New Zealand, and even Australia. Stalwart.
Tilakaratne Dilshan - Also in the twilight of his career, he has been in good limited overs form in the last year. His performance at the top of the order is important for Sri Lanka's success, as he is one player who can take the game away from the opposition with his aggressive batting. Stalwart.
Ross Taylor - He has been in excellent form in the last two years in all formats of the game. His record at home is very impressive, and he can be circumspect as well as explosive, making him the nerve centre of New Zealand's batting line-up. If he does well, maybe the Kiwis can finally make it to a world cup final. Stalwart.
Glenn Maxwell - His performance in the 2014 IPL showed the world that he is one of the most explosive batsman in limited overs cricket today. He strikes at 120 in one-day cricket. If he gets going in the last ten overs, he can single-handedly win games for Australia. He has also shown that he can bat patiently in the middle overs. Also an excellent fielder and decent part-time off spinner. X Factor.
Angelo Mathews - The Sri Lankan captain has had a great year to emerge as one of the best allrounders in the world, and it's mainly because he has become a terrific finishing batsman. While contributions from the three stalwarts will be important, he can be the one who makes the difference with his ability to finish an innings with the bat, and to be miserly with the ball. X Factor.
Ajinkya Rahane - He has emerged as India's most consistent and reliable test batsman, and we know from the IPL that he can also do well in the shortest format of the game. Indian fans will hope that he can carry his form into the world cup so that he can improve on an unimpressive ODI record. As a classical opener, he will see off the new ball but still score quickly, as he has a wide range of orthodox shots at his disposal. X Factor.
David Miller - Killer Miller, as he was known in the IPL after a 37 ball century, will be the man South Africa will rely on to finish off innings. He must perform, as South Africa's biggest problem in world cups has been batting collapses due to the lack of solid finishers. X Factor.
James Faulkner - An allrounder who averages 48 with the bat with a strike rate of 110 is definitely someone to watch out for. He has emerged as an excellent finisher for Australia. There are doubts whether his injury would allow him to bowl in the world cup, but if he recovers, he will be a vital cog in the Australian machine with his ability to bowl in the middle overs and at the death. X Factor.
Steve Finn - Anderson and Broad are a good bowling pair. Add the 6'6" Steve Finn, and England have a potent pace attack. Finn has been England's trump card whenever he has played in his injury plagued career. He showed good form in the recently concluded tri-series, and he could give the English batsman a chance to win games if he continues this way. X Factor.
Lasith Malinga - He used to be the best limited overs pacer until a few years ago, but the sheen has worn off, and a lot of batsmen, especially the Indian ones, have his number now. He still takes wickets at the death, but he can be scored off, which blunts the edge he had in the last world cup. However, conditions Down Under are suitable to fast bowling, and he could take advantage of that to ensure that Sri Lanka are a side to be feared. X Factor.
Eoin Morgan - England has looked a completely different ODI team since he took over as captain. England's best limited overs batsman, his ability to finish innings well will ensure that they're taken seriously by other teams. X Factor.
Kane Williamson - One of the best young batsmen in the world, he has been recently been named Mr. Consistent. He will be New Zealand's second go-to man with the bat. X Factor.
Rohit Sharma - For over seven years, he has frustrated fans and critics alike with bursts of brilliance and countless unnecessary implosions. He has generally been patchy overseas, but a hundred against Australia in the recently concluded tri-series will give him and Indian fans some confidence. He is generally a ticking time bomb when he comes out to bat, as everyone knows that the inexplicable, awful shot that will send him packing is right around the corner. But if he does get in, he is literally unstoppable, as he proved with his two ODI double hundreds. Wild Card.
Brendon McCullum - He can play the most unbelievable innings in all formats of the game, but the flipside is that he's extremely inconsistent, because of which he averages only 30 in ODIs. If he can keep a cool head, New Zealand will have a powerful batting trifecta that will ensure substantial success in the tournament. Wild Card.
Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz - They form the core of Pakistan's bowling attack, but haven't had the best time in the last year. Both have issues with consistency, but they have to step up, since Pakistan's bowling attack is heavily depleted without Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan. If they can take advantage of the friendly conditions that Australia and New Zealand provide for pacers, Pakistan will be a team to watch out for. Wild Cards.
Keep reading The Cup Chronicles for both insights into the 2015 cricket world cup!
The world cup brings together cricketing stars from all over the world who up their game in a bid to win the sport's most coveted prize. Listed below are 25 players who I think will be the ones to watch out for in the 2015 world cup. I am dividing them into four categories - Game Changers, Stalwarts, X Factors, and Wild Cards.
AB de Villiers - The best batsman and the most valuable player on the planet right now. He is the key to removing the 'chokers' tag that has haunted the Proteas for so long. However, he is often burdened with the dual responsibility of batting through to the end as well as scoring quick runs, which might prove to be his undoing. He is also arguably the best athlete the game has ever seen, and that's keeping Jonty Rhodes in mind. Sanjay Manjrekar rightly said that there should be a test to determine whether AB de Villiers is human or not. Game Changer.
Virat Kohli - The only batsman who can match de Villiers in limited overs cricket. While de Villiers is the master of improvisation and unorthodoxy, Kohli can often be equally lethal without playing a single unorthodox stroke. If he continues to bat at number 4, he would finish more innings, and his ability to snowball into an avalanche towards the end of an innings will come into play. He is the linchpin of India's batting order and will determine India's fate in the world cup one way or another. Game Changer.
Steve Smith - He has seen a meteoric rise in world cricket after hitting the purplest of patches in the last 18 months. Almost de Villier-esque in improvisation, he is extremely difficult to dismiss once he's set, and can score at will. He is an excellent fielder as was seen by the world in the IPL. His success will almost certainly ensure wins for Australia. Game Changer.
Mitchell Johnson - The fastest and most lethal bowler in the world. He has ensured with his performance in the last Ashes series that English batsmen will be terrified of him for as long as he plays. Constantly bowling into the ribcage of batsmen at over 145 kmph, his three over spells will be turning points in each of Australia's matches. Game Changer.
M S Dhoni - While he is never out of form in one-day cricket, he has not had the same impact on matches overseas as he used to. But as he's proven many a time, he always comes to play in the big matches. It is imperative that he promotes himself to number 5 so that he isn't always left trying to come back from behind after a batting collapse. This will also enable him to bat along with Kohli for long periods, ensuring that India's two best batsmen can feed off of each other. Stalwart.
Dale Steyn - The Steyn remover is not as deadly in colour as he is in the whites, but he is probably the greatest fast bowler that has ever lived. On the surface, it seems like he does not have too big an impact on a one-day game, but closer analysis reveals that a lot of wickets taken by fellow pacers Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander in this format are actually a direct result of the pressure applied by Steyn at the other end. Equally good with the new ball and at the death, he can be the perfect blend of a wicket taking and economical bowler. Stalwart.
Hashim Amla - I honestly don't know what to say about this man. On one hand, he has almost always played in very friendly conditions and easy match situations, and on the other, I'd be crazy to say that a player with his record is not an extremely gifted player. He recently became the fastest to 5000 ODI runs, beating the great Sir Viv Richards to the mark by 13 innings. It is important that he gives South Africa good starts for de Villiers to capitalise on. Stalwart.
Kumara Sangakkara - Few batsmen have hit a patch so purple this late in their careers. He is the best batsman Sri Lanka have ever produced, and is only 15 runs short of overtaking Ricky Ponting as the second highest ODI run getter of all time. This is his last world cup, and after having lost two world cup finals in a row, he will do all he can to ensure that there isn't a hattrick. He will consistently score runs, but his team needs to make sure that he is not forced to play the role of both linchpin and finisher. Stalwart.
Mahela Jayawardene - It is almost a given that Jayawardene would follow Sangakkara in any discussion of cricket, as they have been the twin pillars of Sri Lankan cricket for the last decade. Unlike Sangakkara, he has almost faded away in the twilight of his career, but he can still pack a helluva punch. He is much more adept at dealing with pressure in the big games than Sangakkara, and he proved that with his stunning hundred in the 2011 world cup final. Stalwart.
James Anderson - Even though I do not see England going very far in the world cup, they can do reasonably well in the group stage, and a lot of it is courtesy Anderson, one of the most skilled bowlers in world cricket. He's got the cricket ball on a leash, extracting swing, both conventional and reverse, where everyone else fails to. He will be a handful on the lively pitches of New Zealand, and even Australia. Stalwart.
Tilakaratne Dilshan - Also in the twilight of his career, he has been in good limited overs form in the last year. His performance at the top of the order is important for Sri Lanka's success, as he is one player who can take the game away from the opposition with his aggressive batting. Stalwart.
Ross Taylor - He has been in excellent form in the last two years in all formats of the game. His record at home is very impressive, and he can be circumspect as well as explosive, making him the nerve centre of New Zealand's batting line-up. If he does well, maybe the Kiwis can finally make it to a world cup final. Stalwart.
Glenn Maxwell - His performance in the 2014 IPL showed the world that he is one of the most explosive batsman in limited overs cricket today. He strikes at 120 in one-day cricket. If he gets going in the last ten overs, he can single-handedly win games for Australia. He has also shown that he can bat patiently in the middle overs. Also an excellent fielder and decent part-time off spinner. X Factor.
Angelo Mathews - The Sri Lankan captain has had a great year to emerge as one of the best allrounders in the world, and it's mainly because he has become a terrific finishing batsman. While contributions from the three stalwarts will be important, he can be the one who makes the difference with his ability to finish an innings with the bat, and to be miserly with the ball. X Factor.
Ajinkya Rahane - He has emerged as India's most consistent and reliable test batsman, and we know from the IPL that he can also do well in the shortest format of the game. Indian fans will hope that he can carry his form into the world cup so that he can improve on an unimpressive ODI record. As a classical opener, he will see off the new ball but still score quickly, as he has a wide range of orthodox shots at his disposal. X Factor.
David Miller - Killer Miller, as he was known in the IPL after a 37 ball century, will be the man South Africa will rely on to finish off innings. He must perform, as South Africa's biggest problem in world cups has been batting collapses due to the lack of solid finishers. X Factor.
James Faulkner - An allrounder who averages 48 with the bat with a strike rate of 110 is definitely someone to watch out for. He has emerged as an excellent finisher for Australia. There are doubts whether his injury would allow him to bowl in the world cup, but if he recovers, he will be a vital cog in the Australian machine with his ability to bowl in the middle overs and at the death. X Factor.
Steve Finn - Anderson and Broad are a good bowling pair. Add the 6'6" Steve Finn, and England have a potent pace attack. Finn has been England's trump card whenever he has played in his injury plagued career. He showed good form in the recently concluded tri-series, and he could give the English batsman a chance to win games if he continues this way. X Factor.
Lasith Malinga - He used to be the best limited overs pacer until a few years ago, but the sheen has worn off, and a lot of batsmen, especially the Indian ones, have his number now. He still takes wickets at the death, but he can be scored off, which blunts the edge he had in the last world cup. However, conditions Down Under are suitable to fast bowling, and he could take advantage of that to ensure that Sri Lanka are a side to be feared. X Factor.
Eoin Morgan - England has looked a completely different ODI team since he took over as captain. England's best limited overs batsman, his ability to finish innings well will ensure that they're taken seriously by other teams. X Factor.
Kane Williamson - One of the best young batsmen in the world, he has been recently been named Mr. Consistent. He will be New Zealand's second go-to man with the bat. X Factor.
Rohit Sharma - For over seven years, he has frustrated fans and critics alike with bursts of brilliance and countless unnecessary implosions. He has generally been patchy overseas, but a hundred against Australia in the recently concluded tri-series will give him and Indian fans some confidence. He is generally a ticking time bomb when he comes out to bat, as everyone knows that the inexplicable, awful shot that will send him packing is right around the corner. But if he does get in, he is literally unstoppable, as he proved with his two ODI double hundreds. Wild Card.
Brendon McCullum - He can play the most unbelievable innings in all formats of the game, but the flipside is that he's extremely inconsistent, because of which he averages only 30 in ODIs. If he can keep a cool head, New Zealand will have a powerful batting trifecta that will ensure substantial success in the tournament. Wild Card.
Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz - They form the core of Pakistan's bowling attack, but haven't had the best time in the last year. Both have issues with consistency, but they have to step up, since Pakistan's bowling attack is heavily depleted without Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan. If they can take advantage of the friendly conditions that Australia and New Zealand provide for pacers, Pakistan will be a team to watch out for. Wild Cards.
Keep reading The Cup Chronicles for both insights into the 2015 cricket world cup!
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