Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has tipped two rising stars from the nation’s cricket scene as ones to watch in the coming year. Speaking ahead of major events like the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, he highlighted their potential to deliver match-winning efforts on the global stage.
Robin Uthappa’s bold predictions for his two players to watch out for in 2026
During a recent appearance on JioHotstar’s ‘Follow the Blues’, Uthappa praised opener Pratika Rawal for her anticipated comeback after a World Cup setback, predicting she would shatter records and excel. He reserved special excitement for men’s top-order batter Tilak Varma, declaring in Hindi, “kuch gazab hi krega” – meaning he will achieve something extraordinary. Uthappa sees these picks as pivotal for India’s trophy hunts across formats.
“Pratika Rawal. She faced an injury during the WC and will come back into the play with a good form. Looking forward to her coming in and smashing a few records, doing exceptionally well. In men’s cricket, Tilak Verma, my standout player, kuch gazab hi krega (will do something extraordinary),” Uthappa said on JioHotstar.
The explosive run of the two young stars for India in 2025
The 23-year-old Hyderabad southpaw solidified his role in Suryakumar Yadav‘s T20I setup, amassing around 567 runs in 20 T20Is last year at a strike rate over 129, including four fifties and a high of 73. His standout moment came in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, where an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls clinched a five-wicket victory and earned Player of the Match honours. Earlier back-to-back T20I centuries against South Africa in late 2024 had already marked him as a clutch performer, pushing his overall T20I tally to 1183 runs in 40 matches at an average near 49. Varma also featured in recent ODIs against South Africa in December 2025, signaling intent for white-ball expansion, with five ODIs under his belt.
Delhi’s 25-year-old right-hander debuted in ODIs against West Indies in December 2024, quickly becoming a mainstay with 1110 runs in 24 matches at 50.45 average, featuring two tons and seven fifties at a strike rate above 82. Her 2025 highlight was the Women’s ODI World Cup, where she scored 308 runs in six innings at 51.33, including a match-winning 122 against New Zealand, before an ankle injury in the Bangladesh game ruled her out of knockouts. Rawal’s poise in partnerships, like her debut 110-run stand with Smriti Mandhana, and all-round contributions with wickets underscore her versatility. As 2026 unfolds, Uthappa’s endorsements position Varma and Rawal as key to India’s dominance, blending flair and reliability in high-stakes cricket.
