Virat Kohli
Age: 25
Born: Dehli
Test Average: 44
ODI average: 51
Style: Right-hand bat
Among the current crop of Indian batsmen, Kohli is on track to fill the void left by Tendulkar’s departure. He has already become the fastest player to score 17 ODI centuries, and has grabbed Tendulkar’s coveted number four spot in the Test arena with aplomb, showing a knack for prolific run scoring with great elegance. But Kohli needs to prove his ability to score double and triple hundreds in Test matches and sustain his form in the manner Tendulkar did until his 40th year.
Cheteshwar Pujara
Age: 26
Born: Gujarat
Test Average: 66
Style: Right-hand bat
Pujara has the ability to score big and bat for long periods. His late international debut (at 23) and being overlooked for ODIs probably takes away from his candidacy, but he will undoubtedly be among India’s top run scorers in coming years.
His centuries against New Zealand, England and Australia in 2012-13 mark Pujara out as having Tendulkar’s adaptability. He also became the joint-fastest Indian to hit 1,000 runs in terms of Tests played to get there.
Prithvi Shaw
Age: 14
Born: Mumbai
Style: Right-hand bat
Tendulkar himself has stopped to watch this precocious talent twice and has offered his assistance to Shaw whenever he needs it.
The youngster was propelled into the next contender spot when, only four days after Tendulkar’s retirement, he grabbed headlines for scoring a record-breaking 546 runs from 330 balls in a Harris Shield match. Tendulkar scored 326 runs in the same tournament back in 1988. The innings caused cricket commentators to
label Shaw as the Little
Master’s Apprentice.
Unmukt Chand
Age: 20
Born: Dehli
Style: Right-hand bat
Chand led the India under-19 team to World Cup victory in 2012, scoring an eye-catching 111 (not out) in the final against Australia. Having yet to make a full interna-tional debut, he’s already four years off the pace of Tendulkar. His aggressive approach — particularly in the game’s shorter formats — stand him out as a replacement for Tendulkar’s slot in ODIs and T20s. His greatest challenge will be taking the opportunity he will be given.
Sarfaraz Khan
Age: 16
Born: Mumbai
Style: Right-hand bat
Khan has already impressed Australian cricketing legend Greg Chappell, who saw him play in the under-19 tri-nation tournament in Darwin and the Quadrangular series in Vishakapatnam and immediately labelled him a firebrand.
Khan was eyed as an exciting prospect since his outing at a Harris Sheild match. In 2009, he plundered 439 runs overtaking the likes of Wasim Jaffer, and of course, Tendulkar. Shaw later beat the record.
Sachin Tendulkar
Career in numbers
Born: Mumbai
Test average: 53
ODI average: 44
Test matches played: 200
ODI matches played: 463
