Cricket has always been a sport of moving generations. From the time of legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Brian Lara, to the modern greats like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson and the new wavers that will continue that the legacies that the above have started. Now we have new crop of cricketers from the genZ categories entering the cricketing world, cribbers that were born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, are irreversibly changing batting through fearless stroke play, adaptability and maturity in context applicable to their age.
Top 5 international GenZ batters to watch out for in 2025
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India) – The “run-machine”
The tale of Yashasvi Jaiswal seems like a storybook tale. Jaiswal has his humble beginnings selling pani puris on the streets of Mumbai to now representing on an international stage of the sport of cricket. Jaiswal is not only an icon of resilience, he is a pure epitome of determination. To the point, he is normally an aggressive left-handed opener who astonishingly combines elegance and brute strength, and who invariably uses that aggression against the opposition bowler in his first ball!
Strengths: His audacity in T20 cricket, his ability to play long innings in Test cricket, and simply his ability to adjusts in each format.
Highlight: His double century against England in Test cricket demonstrated his temperament and hunger for significant runs.
Why Follow Him: He is India’s future across all formats, the ultimate mix of flair and determination!
Dewald Brevis (South Africa) – The “baby AB”
Often referred to as “Baby AB” because his shot-making is so eerily similar to AB de Villiers, Dewald Brevis is one of the most exciting young batters in world cricket. He is still relatively at the early stage of his career, but he has arguably presented everything one could expect from him, in franchise cricket particularly showcasing his ball-striking in IPL and SA20.
Strengths: The ability to strike the ball 360 on bat is a strength, he has big-hitting six-hitting power in abundance, and he is willing to cater to and adapt to the needs of T20 modernity.
Highlight: His 162 off 57 balls in a domestic match went viral and shocked all of the cricketing world.
Why Watch Him: Brevis is not just a huge T20 worry; if somebody guides him correctly, he could be the answer for South African cricket formats.
Shubman Gill (India) – The Prince of Indian Cricket
Shubman Gill is often referred to as the “Prince” of Indian cricket and regarded as Virat Kohli’s successor. Gill’s calmness, wonderful timing and classical strokeplay makes him a certainty in India’s team already. The adaptability between formats builds Gill into a rarity among GenZ players.
Strengths: Flawless cover drives, solid performance in white ball cricket and rapid growth in T20 cricket.
Highlight: Gill has become a modern great in ODIs with his double century and great IPL seasons.
Why Watch him: Gill’s mix of flair and functionality will make him the backbone of India’s lineup for the next ten years.
Jacob Bethell (England)- England’s Hidden Gem
Jacob Bethell may not yet be a household name, but he is one of the brightest GenZ prospects for England. Bethell is a left-handed batter from Barbados, who was playing for England, and he was infiltrated into the U19 side during the U19 World Cup, which provided him with his platform to demonstrate his fluid-styled batting and ability to challenge some of the best attacks in the world.
Strengths: Bethell has the flexibility to play in the top or middle order, a good technique, and the ability to either stabilize the innings or quickly accelerate if required.
Highlight: While going through his explosive knock against South Africa U19 made for a lot of headlines, Bethell showed most of his maturity when under pressure.
Why you want to watch: England’s white-ball revolution is dependent on cricketers who can play fearlessly, Bethell is exactly the kind of player who is on the fringes.
Harry Brook (England) – The Bazball Enforcer
Harry Brook has quickly drawn comparisons to some of the best ever England cricketers. He is a very attack minded player in Test cricket and most recently has proven his ability to adapt to any limited overs scenario. He is a household name already on the international stage with some memorable innings. Brook’s attacking mindset is what makes him an important part of England’s “Bazball” success in redball cricket.
Strengths: Fearless Test batting, putting clean hitting together in T20’s, and an ability to dictate against all types of bowlers including spin and pace.
Highlight: Brook’s fireworks in Pakistan and at home have shown what a game-changer this player can be.
Why View Him: Brook’s cricketing intelligence, level of aggression, athleticism, and adaptability across formats as a match winner makes Brook one of England’s top stars.
