The Young Guns of 2011

Who are the young 'uns who will make a name for themselves in 2011? There are enough candidates, but we look at the 10 most likely to succeed.

If there was a cricketing yearbook when these young players moved from the Under-19 or younger teams to the big league, they would all have graduated with the vote "Most Likely to Succeed". While some have already shown signs of what's to come, others are finding their feet. And if they find their feet in a tournament as big as the World Cup, they would have definitely lived up to the billing they started out with.

Steve Smith: He wasn't anyone's favourite choice. He was thrown in to the deep end in the recent Ashes series and didn't do too well. Neither did most other Australians, for that matter! But he's a spinner, a leg-spinner at that, and can handle the bat very well. He could be the next major Australian all-rounder. Watch out for: His late-innings hitting. Could be a damaging finisher!

Lonwabo Tsotsobe: Unheard of until he decided to give Sachin T a torrid time in South Africa. After a poor start to his ODI series, he came back strong to be the most noticeable of all bowlers. Of course, there was Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, but Tsotsobe did make his mark. Can he repeat that in India on placid wickets on the world stage? Watch out for: His late movement in the death overs.

Ajmal Shahzad: His debut finally happened Down Under and Shahzad didn't disappoint. On a tour where much went wrong for England's ODI team, Shahzad consistently delivered. And also when it mattered. Being a greenhorn on the international stage doesn't make a World Cup debut any easier. Can he retain the pace and fire? Watch out for: His awkward bounce. It's going to make some batters hop for sure!

Martin Guptill: He seems like he's been around forever. But he hasn't. At just 24, he has some experience of the international stage, but this will be his first World Cup. It also matters to a struggling NZ side that he, being the in-form batsman, comes good. That's a lot of pressure for one young batsman. NZ will hope he comes good, along with others, but he can make this his Cup. Watch out for: Brisk starts and strong consolidation.

Tim Southee: At 22, Southee is one of the true young stars to watch out for. He's almost delivered on a few occasions so far, but is yet to make a big impact. The pitches in India won't exactly be to his liking, but if he can still make a difference, it will propel him into the big league for the coming years. It's hard, but his predecessors like Chris Cairns have shown that it is possible to make an impact in India.

Watch out for: Surprise batting down the order to supplement his bowling.

Wayne Parnell: One of South Africa's youngest stars, Parnell may not be a starting pick for the XI. With Tsotsobe offering left-arm seam options and having done well recently, Parnell may be out of the reckoning unless an injury allows him to play. If he does play, he offers good pace and movement; something that could be very useful in day games bowling first or when bowling in the evening.

Watch out for: Acute angles that make batsmen do foolish things!

Wahab Riaz: A Pakistan side always boasts of young talent. Shahid Afridi, after more than a decade of cricket behind him, is still just 30! Wahab Riaz, at 28, isn't really young, but his bowling style does complement Pakistan's right-arm pace from Umar Gul. He showed good fight in NZ recently and could be a game changer given that the conditions would be similar to playing at home.

Watch out for: Fiery spells at the start.

Angelo Mathews: He has a track record and is a proven all-rounder for Sri Lanka. An otherwise ageing team, SL will depend on young blood to keep up their fielding capability. Mathews, a later order batsman and a mid-innings bowler, does two critical things: score fast and stop the opposition from scoring. He's important! Watch out for: Late innings game-changing batting bursts.

Kieron Pollard: The West Indian exploded on to the scene as part of the Mumbai Indians' batsman. Why he failed in the all-important final will forever remain a mystery, but Pollard is as critical to West Indies' chances in 2011 as Brian Lara was at any time. With Chris Gayle remaining as enigmatic (read undependable) as ever, Pollard has the opportunity to mix his aggression with some thinking and emerge as the future of WI cricket. Watch out for violent knocks that change the match in a few overs.

Virat Kohli: As the winning captain of an Under-19 World Cup team, Kohli is familiar with the endurance needed to win a title. But that was for the boys. This is with the men. And he's surely grown up to fit in. One of India's most consistent batsmen in ODIs in the last 6 months, Kohli is all but sure to play at number four for India edging out Suresh Raina. His electric fielding is also a bonus. He could emerge as the biggest star on the world stage in a long time... Watch out for: Aggression, caution, fielding and wild celebrations!