The #10yearchallenge has taken the internet by storm. It is a millennial trend where people are posting a collage containing a picture from 2009 beside one from 2019.
In India, no trend is complete without involving cricketers considering the demi-god status the players receive from their fans. While everyone has been posting pictures of themselves from 10 years ago showing their evolution over the last decade, we at International Business Times, India thought of doing something unique with our cricketers.
Here, we take a look at some cricketers from the past and put them beside those that are touted to carry on their legacy in the future.
Virat Kohli to Shubman Gill
BCCI did a small "Best of 2018" series where they showed a video of Kohli hitting a quite ridiculous back foot on-drive that went for a six. In the same split screen video, they showed Shubman Gill playing a similar short-arm jab for six over midwicket in the 2018 U-19 World Cup.
The similarity between the pair does not end there as a customary glance at their respective cover drives is enough to notice a whip-like action in guiding the ball between extra cover and long off. While Kohli was a rising star waiting to take over the cricketing world in 2009, Gill has already shown he is the next big thing after being the man of the series in India's successful U-19 World Cup campaign.
MS Dhoni to Rishabh Pant
A dashing wicketkeeper-batsman who has the ability to single-handedly change games and win matches for his nation – MS Dhoni. This description would perfectly suit another man – Rishabh Pant. While MS Dhoni was already established by 2009 it will not be an exaggeration to say Pant is the next Dhoni-like player in Indian cricket.
Virender Sehwag to Prithvi Shaw
Perhaps the greatest modern-day opener in Test cricket, let alone Indian cricket is Virender Sehwag. The man had the ability to change matches in a couple of sessions. His batting betrayed any sense of caution and till the time he was there at the crease, runs would flow and so would perspiration from the opposition ranks.
India has long been searching for the next Sehwag and while it is too early to put young Shaw in that bracket, he has certainly shown enough to raise hope. The Mumbaikar in his two international matches has shown qualities that have reminded everyone of Sehwag and the world is certainly in for a treat if Shaw can come anywhere close to the Nawab of Najafgarh.
Zaheer Khan to Jasprit Bumrah
For a large part of the first decade of this century, whenever an Indian captain looked around the field in search of a bowler who could provide a breakthrough, staring right back at him would be Zaheer Khan.
Cut to 2019, Kohli's go to man across all formats is Jasprit Bumrah. He can swing the ball, has got pace to burn, a mean bouncer and an incomparable Yorker.
Anil Kumble to Kuldeep Yadav
Although Kumble had bid his farewell to the game a year earlier, one cannot help oneself but compare the two leg-spinners. Kumble was a match winner on his day and starred for India across all formats. If Sourav Ganguly needed to win a Test match on the final day – home or away – Kumble would ask for the bowl, either himself or his opponent to the ground.
Kuldeep is slowly getting there. The young man is already a match-winner in white ball cricket and if his performance in Australia is anything to go by, the Chinaman bowler will soon become India's premier spinner for a long time.
