India and Pakistan are on the field this week although they aren't playing each other but different teams in different formats in different countries. West Indies, having pulled off a win in the first game, can topple the hosts while Sri Lanka and Pakistan have weather and pitches to counter. Here we take a look at the few bankable players this week for the Nostragamus fantasy managers to pick with conviction.
Virat Kohli
Country: India
Match/Series: West Indies vs India ODIs
If anything fires up Virat Kohli, it is a challenge and a situation which calls for him to step up. 0-1 down in the series, Kohli will be India's go-to man in the remaining two ODIs of the series. West Indies have bad news, though, as Kohli's average shoots up from 57.12 in the first ODI of a series to 62.93 and 69.44 in the second and third ODIs. Against the Windies, he averages a whopping 74.13 in ODIs with nine hundreds and 10 half-centuries.
Read | Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli are now joint leading run-scorers in T20Is
Shimron Hetmyer
Country: West Indies
Match/Series: West Indies vs India ODIs
After a rip-roaring hundred in the first ODI in challenging conditions at Chepauk in Chennai, Hetmyer has become hot property and rightly so. Highly talented, the southpaw is a good player of pace and spin and can milk the opposition with ease on his day. Of late, he has enjoyed several such days too. Against India, Hetmyer averages 51 with two hundreds and a half-century in his kitty.
Shimron Hetmyer vs each bowler:
— CRiiiCKET Stats (@CRiiiCKETstats) December 16, 2019
▪️ 40 off 27 against Jadeja
▪️ 28 off 18 against Dube
▪️ 24 off 15 against Shami
▪️ 23 off 22 against Kuldeep
▪️ 14 off 20 against Chahar
▪️ 10 off 4 against Kedar
Total: 139 runs off 106 deliveries
11 Fours & 7 sixes 🔥
Strike rate: 131.13 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OH6SuoF61F
Read | Why Shikhar Dhawan is surplus to India's T20 requirements
Nicholas Pooran
Country: West Indies
Match/Series: West Indies vs India ODIs
Pooran's abilities often remain obscured by the bigger players in the side. However, often in moments of strife the West Indian has helped the side finish off with composure and flair. Pooran's ODI record isn't as impressive as his T20I record. That said, he still averages 47 in 17 ODIs with a hundred. When chasing, this average shoots up to above 50.
Abid Ali
Country: Pakistan
Match/Series: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests
Abid Ali hit the record books when he became the first batsman to score a century on Test and ODI debut. The 32-year old right-handed opener isn't everyone's go-to player in a fantasy team, but he sure knows to grab his chances as has been evident from his short career thus far. In him, the Nostragamus fantasy managers have a unique pick that not many others would go for.
Abid Ali became the 106th player to score 100 on Test debut with his 109* v Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi on Sunday after Charles Bannerman (165*) for Australia v England at Melbourne on 15 March 1877#PakvSL pic.twitter.com/Qd7MEWByT7
— Arthur_S (@allanholloway) December 16, 2019
Read | Indian T20 League auctions: When and where to watch
Dhananjaya de Silva
Country: Sri Lanka
Match/Series: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests
The Sri Lankan all-rounder is having one hell of a year in Test cricket. After promising returns in South Africa, he scored a century against New Zealand at home and hit another in the first Test against Pakistan. Meanwhile, his bowling average has also come down with him averaging less than 30 this year with 9 wickets in seven matches. He is a trustable player in the middle-order from the Sri Lankan ranks.
Feature image courtesy: AFP/ Arun Sankar
