The 30 Best Young English Cricketers Under 23 in 2026

From Jacob Bethell to the next generation of teenage prospects, ranking England’s best cricketers aged 23 and under in 2026.

Who are the best young English cricketers in 2026? With Jacob Bethell already making Ashes hundreds, Rehan Ahmed developing into a genuine all-rounder and a remarkable generation emerging in county cricket and the England Under-19s, England’s pool of young talent looks unusually — and possibly historically — deep. Here, The Penwarden Review ranks the 30 best English cricketers aged 23 and under in 2026.

We are only looking at players who had not reached their 24th birthday by 25 August 2026, and rank them based on a combination of: (i) their achievements so far in county (and, in a few cases, international) cricket; (ii) the potential they have demonstrated in age-group cricket; and (iii) their individual attributes. A 22-year-old who can reach 90mph is more exciting than a 22-year-old medium-pacer, and has a much higher ceiling.

This ranking assesses the players individually. I have also used it to construct a projected England Test team for 2030, where team balance and likely vacancies matter as much as individual potential. I have also applied the same exercise to the 30 best young Indian cricketers, where the depth of batting talent makes England’s supposedly crowded prospect pool look almost manageable. A lot of these also feature when I have looked at specific roles – the batsmen, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers and spinners.

Rank	Player	County	Role
1	Jacob Bethell	Warwickshire	Batting all-rounder
2	Rehan Ahmed	Leicestershire	Spin-bowling all-rounder
3	James Rew	Somerset	Wicketkeeper-batter
4	Ben McKinney	Durham	Opening batter
5	Shoaib Bashir	Somerset	Off-spinner
6	Tom Lawes	Surrey	Seam-bowling all-rounder
7	James Coles	Sussex	Batting all-rounder
8	Sonny Baker	Hampshire	Fast bowler
9	Asa Tribe	Glamorgan	Batter
10	Farhan Ahmed	Nottinghamshire	Off-spinner
11	Ben Kellaway	Glamorgan	Batting all-rounder
12	Charlie Allison	Essex	Batter
13	Archie Vaughan	Somerset	Batting all-rounder / off-spinner
14	James Sales	Northamptonshire	Seam-bowling all-rounder
15	Freddie McCann	Nottinghamshire	Batter
16	Josh Hull	Leicestershire	Left-arm fast bowler
17	James Minto	Durham	Left-arm fast bowling all-rounder
18	Ben Mayes	Hampshire	Wicketkeeper-batter
19	Eddie Jack	Hampshire	Fast bowler
20	Rocky Flintoff	Lancashire	Batting all-rounder
21	Thomas Rew	Somerset	Wicketkeeper-batter
22	Ben Dawkins	Kent	Opening batter
23	Naavya Sharma	Warwickshire	Fast bowler
24	Noah Thain	Essex	Batting all-rounder
25	Dan Lategan	Worcestershire	Opening batter
26	Ekansh Singh	Kent	All-rounder
27	Sebastian Morgan	Middlesex	Bowling all-rounder
28	Alfie Ogborne	Somerset	Left arm seamer
29	Joe Moores	Lancashire	Wicketkeeper-batter
30	Caleb Falconer	Middlesex	Batting all-rounder

1. Jacob Bethell

154 v Australia (Test, January 2026) • 105 off 48 v India (T20, March 2026) • England’s youngest ever T20 captain, aged 21

There is little debate over who belongs at the top of this list. At 22, Jacob Bethell has already progressed beyond the status of promising young cricketer and into that of established international.

His 154 against Australia at Sydney in January was his maiden first-class century, let alone his first in Test cricket. To make it in an Ashes Test, in Australia, was an extraordinary way to remove perhaps the only significant question hanging over his burgeoning red-ball reputation. Two months later came 105 from 48 balls against India in a T20 World Cup semi-final, demonstrating that his ceiling extends across formats. 

What makes Bethell particularly compelling is the breadth of his game. He can bat anywhere in the order, possesses the power required of a modern white-ball player, bowls useful left-arm spin and is an outstanding fielder.

The question is therefore no longer whether Bethell will become an England regular. It is how good he can become. There are players below him with exceptional potential; Bethell is the one already converting it into performances on the biggest stages.

2. Rehan Ahmed

5-48 v Pakistan (Test debut, December 2022) • 760 runs at 50.56, five hundreds and 20 wickets at 15.15 (County Championship 2025) • 115 runs, 6-51 and 7-93 (v Derbyshire, July 2025)

It is easy to forget that Rehan Ahmed is still only 22. He made his Test debut at 18, taking five wickets against Pakistan, but the most significant development since has been his transformation from talented leg-spinner who could bat into a genuine all-rounder.

The 2025 Championship season changed the terms of the argument. Promoted to No.3, Ahmed scored 760 runs at 50.66 with five hundreds, while remaining a serious wicket-taking leg-spinner. Most remarkable was his match against Derbyshire: 115 with the bat followed by 6-51 and 7-93, making him the first Englishman in the 21st century to combine a century of runs with ten wickets in a Championship match (amazingly, Tom Hartley managed the same feat in the same round of fixtures). 

That combination gives Ahmed an unusually high ceiling. England do not have to decide whether he is a batter or bowler yet; he may ultimately be good enough to contribute substantially as both. Bethell’s international achievements put him first, but nobody else on this list possesses quite the same breadth of possibilities as Ahmed (but, as we will see below, he may not even be the best cricketer in his family) in being Ben Stokes’ eventual replacement as England’s all-rounder.

3. James Rew

221 v Hampshire (County Championship 2023; Somerset’s youngest first-class double-centurion) • Youngest Englishman since Denis Compton to reach 10 first-class hundreds, aged 21 • 116 v Essex (County Championship 2025; successful chase from 54-4)

If this ranking were based purely on first-class achievement, James Rew might be No.1. By 21 he had become the youngest Englishman since Denis Compton to reach ten first-class hundreds, and he already has a double-century and multiple thousand-run seasons behind him. 

What stands out is not simply the volume of runs but the frequency with which Rew converts starts. His tenth hundred, 116 against Essex in 2025, came after Somerset slipped to 54-4 chasing 321 against one of the strongest attacks in county cricket. He didn’t merely accumulate runs; he won the game. 

Rew’s wicketkeeping offers another route into the England side, although there remains debate over whether his long-term international future might ultimately be as a specialist batter. Either way, there is remarkably little projection required here. At 22 he has already built the sort of first-class record most good county batsmen never achieve and, like Rehan Ahmed above him, he may also turn out to be second best cricketer in his family.

4. Ben McKinney

244 v Gloucestershire (County Championship, April 2026; Durham’s youngest double-centurion) • 140 v Derbyshire (County Championship, August 2026) • Five first-class hundreds by the age of 21

England have spent much of the past decade searching for convincing Test opening batsmen. That context makes Ben McKinney particularly interesting.

At 6ft 6in, he is an unusual opener: imposing but fluent, capable of dominating attacks rather than merely surviving the new ball. More importantly, the substantial scores have begun to arrive. His 244 against Gloucestershire this season made him Durham’s youngest double-centurion, while his subsequent 140 against Derbyshire reinforced the sense that he is no flash in the pan.

There will inevitably be tougher examinations ahead. Opening the batting at Test level remains one of cricket’s most unforgiving jobs, and McKinney’s technique will be subjected to scrutiny that county cricket cannot fully replicate.

But enormous first-class scores at 21 are difficult to ignore. Of all the uncapped specialist batsmen on this list, McKinney arguably has the clearest route into England’s Test side.

5. Shoaib Bashir

6-81 v Zimbabwe (Test, May 2025) • Youngest England bowler to reach 50 Test wickets • 5-41 v West Indies (Test, 2024; youngest England spinner to take a home Test five-for)

Bashir presents perhaps the strangest ranking problem of the 30. His domestic record has never screamed future international star, yet before his 23rd birthday he had already taken 50 Test wickets. He has been England’s first choice, while at the same time needing to move to one of England’s smallest counties in order to play regular cricket.

Spin bowling is notoriously difficult to assess through county averages alone, particularly for a tall off-spinner whose bounce and trajectory appear better suited to Test cricket than many English pitches. His 6-81 against Zimbabwe and earlier 5-41 against West Indies demonstrated his ability to run through international batting orders.

There are still legitimate questions about consistency and control. Bashir absolutely remains a developing bowler rather than a finished Test spinner, despite the amount of international cricket he has already played.

But that is precisely what makes him fascinating. Most players on this list are being projected towards Test cricket. Bashir has already got there. If his control catches up with his natural attributes and experience, England could have their frontline off-spinner for much of the next decade.

6. Tom Lawes

Five-wicket haul v Nottinghamshire (County Championship, August 2026) • More than 90 first-class wickets by the age of 23 • Significant lower-order runs alongside his bowling as a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder

The search for England’s eventual successor to Ben Stokes makes any young seam-bowling all-rounder interesting. Tom Lawes is considerably more than that: by 23 he has already taken more than 90 first-class wickets while demonstrating genuine ability with the bat.

His bowling is currently the stronger suit. Lawes has enough pace to trouble good batsmen, can move the ball and has repeatedly taken wickets in Division One. His latest five-wicket haul against Nottinghamshire adds to a body of work that is becoming difficult to dismiss as mere promise.

The batting remains the crucial variable. If Lawes develops into someone capable of averaging around 30 in first-class cricket while maintaining his bowling output, his England value rises enormously. He does not need to become Stokes; merely becoming a credible No.7 who can operate as a frontline seamer would make him extremely valuable.

Few players on this list have a skill combination England need quite as badly.

7. James Coles

224 and 3-34 v Glamorgan (County Championship, June 2026) • Most expensive player in the The Hundred 2026 draft • 1,032 runs and four hundreds (County Championship Division One, 2025)

Coles has quietly constructed one of the most substantial records of anyone in this age group. In 2025 he passed 1,000 Championship runs with four hundreds; in 2026 he went further, making an unbeaten 224 against Glamorgan and taking 3-34 in the same match.

That last detail matters. Coles is primarily selected for his batting, but his left-arm spin makes him more than a specialist. England have increasingly valued cricketers capable of contributing in multiple disciplines (and will do so even more following Ben Stokes’ retirement), and Coles has enough bowling ability that captains can actually use him rather than merely describe him as an all-rounder.

The question is how much of that translates upwards. He does not possess the obvious physical differentiator of Baker or Hull, nor the extraordinary age records of Rew or Farhan Ahmed.

Instead his case is built on something more conventional: lots of runs, increasing consistency and a useful second skill. At 22, that’s a compelling foundation and prompted London Spirit to pay £390,000 for him in the 2026 Hundred draft.

8. Sonny Baker

Test debut v New Zealand, taking two wickets on day one (June 2026) • Clocked at approximately 92mph • 35 first-class wickets at 29.42 before his Test breakthrough

Fast bowling changes the normal rules of prospect evaluation. A player who can genuinely operate around 90mph has something that cannot easily be taught, and Baker has already demonstrated enough control and wicket-taking ability to turn that pace into international recognition. Bowling rapidly while not being particularly tall inevitably leads to comparisons with Mark Wood.

His Test debut against New Zealand in June 2026 therefore matters enormously. England were not simply selecting an interesting county bowler; they were betting on attributes they believe can work at the highest level.

The attraction is obvious. Baker can hurry batsmen, possesses the aggression England increasingly favour and is young enough that his bowling craft should still improve considerably.

The caveat with any young fast bowler is durability. Pace is valuable only if the body survives the workload, and England’s recent history is full of exceptionally quick bowlers whose availability became the defining issue (I don’t want to flag Mark Wood again…).

If Baker remains fit, however, very few seamers in this age group possess a higher ceiling.

9. Asa Tribe

206 v Northamptonshire (County Championship, September 2025) • 129 v Australia A (England Lions, 2025) • 64* v Pakistan Shaheens (England Lions, February 2026)

Tribe’s rise has been less spectacular than some around him, but arguably more convincing. He has accumulated serious runs in county cricket, made a first-class double-century and then demonstrated that his game travels by scoring an unbeaten 129 against Australia A for England Lions.

That Lions performance is particularly significant. County runs establish that a player deserves attention; runs against high-quality representative attacks begin to answer whether he can progress beyond that level.

Tribe’s strength is the apparent absence of an obvious weakness in his case. He has volume, big scores and representative success, while still being only 22. What he lacks is the single eye-catching characteristic that immediately makes people imagine an England player.

That may ultimately be irrelevant. Plenty of international batsmen arrive not because they possess a freakish attribute but because they simply keep scoring runs. Tribe is increasingly making that argument impossible to ignore.

10. Farhan Ahmed

7-140 v Surrey (County Championship debut, aged 16) • 10 wickets in the match, becoming the youngest player to take a Championship ten-for • Broke an age record dating back to W.G. Grace in 1865

Taking ten wickets in a County Championship match is noteworthy at any age. Doing it at 16 is absurd.

Farhan Ahmed took 7-140 on his Championship debut against Surrey and completed a ten-wicket match haul, becoming the youngest player to achieve the feat in the competition’s history. The achievement immediately established him as something considerably more interesting than simply Rehan Ahmed’s younger brother.

Off-spinners generally develop late. They learn variations, control, tactical awareness and how to manipulate batsmen over years of senior cricket. Farhan was already dismissing Division One batsmen before he could legally drive to the ground and buy himself a celebratory pint afterwards.

That does not guarantee international success. Young spinners can stall, and England’s conditions do not always provide an easy developmental environment.

But the age adjustment here is impossible to ignore. Farhan has already demonstrated a capacity to take senior wickets at an age when most prospects are playing age-group cricket. At 18, time is overwhelmingly on his side.

11. Ben Kellaway

181 v Kent (County Championship 2025) • 6-111 v Gloucestershire (County Championship 2025) • Two first-class hundreds and three five-wicket hauls by the age of 22

There may not be a more unusual cricketer on this list. Kellaway bats seriously, bowls seriously and, most strikingly, can bowl spin with either arm (but admittedly, his left arm spin is more of a novelty at this stage).

The novelty would mean little without production. An unbeaten 181 against Kent demonstrated his batting ceiling, while multiple first-class five-wicket hauls show that the bowling is far more than a party trick. By 22 he had already recorded two first-class hundreds and three five-fors.

That creates intriguing possibilities. Modern international sides prize flexibility, and a player capable of occupying a genuine batting position while providing multiple spin options could solve selection problems that specialists cannot.

The danger is becoming good at several things without becoming exceptional at one. Kellaway’s route to England probably requires either the batting or bowling to develop into a clear international-standard primary skill.

But if that happens, everything else he provides becomes enormously valuable.

12. Charlie Allison

140 v Surrey (County Championship 2025) • 101 v Hampshire (County Championship 2025; back-to-back hundreds) • 105 v Somerset (County Championship, August 2026; after Essex followed on 311 runs behind)

Allison’s case has strengthened considerably over the past two seasons because the promise is increasingly being supported by proper first-class hundreds.

His 140 against Surrey and 101 against Hampshire in 2025 showed that he could convert starts into substantial Championship innings. Another century against Somerset this August, made after Essex had been forced to follow on 311 runs behind, added something different: runs under considerable match pressure.

That distinction matters when ranking young batsmen. Plenty can look elegant while making 40; future internationals need to construct innings that change matches.

Allison is not yet as statistically advanced as Rew or as physically distinctive as McKinney, but he is moving in the right direction quickly. England Lions recognition provides another indication that his development is being noticed.

At 21, there is ample time for the current trajectory to turn him into a serious England contender.

13. Archie Vaughan

11-140 (County Championship; maiden ten-wicket match haul) • 6-96 (first-class career-best) • 109 v Northamptonshire (One-Day Cup 2025; maiden senior hundred)

Vaughan’s surname ensured attention arrived before his performances justified it. Increasingly, however, there is a compelling cricketing case that has nothing to do with his  2005 Ashes hero and hair transplant trailblazing father.

An 11-wicket Championship match haul, including 6-96, transformed perceptions of his off-spin. Vaughan is not merely an opening batsman who can turn his arm over; there is enough bowling substance to imagine a genuine all-round role (one that will probably lead him to drop down the batting order to 6 or 7). His unbeaten 109 in the One-Day Cup also demonstrated that the batting has significant upside.

The uncertainty is which discipline ultimately leads. That can be a weakness in young all-rounders, but at 20 it is arguably a luxury: Somerset can continue giving him meaningful responsibility in both.

If Vaughan develops into a Test-quality opener who bowls useful off-spin, his value is obvious. If the bowling becomes frontline standard, the possibilities become more interesting still.

14. James Sales

5-21 v Gloucestershire (T20 Blast, May 2026) • England Lions call-up (2026) • Multiple first-class hundreds, with a career-best 135

Sales may not have the most famous father of the players on this list but he comes from solid cricketing stock.

He is easy to underrate because there is nothing particularly fashionable about his profile. He is not a 90mph fast bowler, teenage record-breaker or wrist-spinner. He has simply accumulated a substantial amount of senior cricket at a young age.

That should count for a lot.

Sales already has multiple first-class hundreds, with a best of 135, while his seam bowling continues to develop. His 5-21 against Gloucestershire in the 2026 Blast showed that the latter can be genuinely match-winning rather than supplementary. England Lions recognition followed.

The challenge is identifying his international role. He may need either the batting to become good enough for the top six or the bowling to become strong enough that England can view him as a genuine all-rounder.

But compared with many players below him, Sales requires relatively little imagination. He is already producing regularly in senior county cricket.

15. Freddie McCann

154 v Surrey (County Championship 2024) • 130 v Warwickshire (County Championship 2024) • 138 v Hampshire (County Championship 2025; third first-class hundred)

McCann has already done the thing young batsmen ultimately have to do: make hundreds.

His 154 against Surrey in 2024 was followed by 130 against Warwickshire, and another 138 against Hampshire arrived in 2025. Three substantial first-class centuries so early in a career provide much stronger evidence than a collection of attractive 30s and 40s.

McCann’s appeal is therefore straightforward. He is a specialist top-order batsman with a demonstrated ability to occupy the crease and turn starts into match-shaping scores.

The next stage is consistency. The very best young batsmen move from occasional spectacular innings to seasons in which they threaten 1,000 runs, and that is the benchmark McCann now needs to approach.

But there is no need to manufacture a projection here. The foundation already exists. Nottinghamshire have a young batsman who has repeatedly made big Division One scores.

16. Josh Hull

England Test debut aged 20 v Sri Lanka (September 2024) • 3-53 on Test debut • 6ft 7in left-arm quick who reached Test cricket after barely 20 first-class matches

No player in the 30 demonstrates the difference between statistical achievement and international projection better than Josh Hull.

His county numbers alone would not place him this high. His physical attributes might. Hull is a 6ft 7in left-arm fast bowler capable of generating awkward bounce and angles, a combination sufficiently rare that England gave him a Test debut at 20 after barely 20 first-class matches.

He responded with 3-53 against Sri Lanka.

England’s willingness to accelerate Hull tells us something important. International selectors are not searching for the 20 bowlers with the best county averages; they are searching for weapons capable of dismissing Test batsmen in different conditions.

Hull remains raw and his control must improve. But control can be developed. Being 6ft 7in, left-handed and genuinely quick cannot. That scarcity keeps him high in this ranking.

17. James Minto

Durham’s youngest-ever first-class player, aged 16 • 67 v Nottinghamshire (County Championship, May 2025; Durham’s youngest first-class fifty-maker) • 5-21 (maiden first-class five-for while still 17)

Minto is perhaps the ranking’s most aggressive projection.

He became Durham’s youngest first-class player at 16 and subsequently their youngest first-class half-centurion. More significantly for his long-term prospects, the left-arm seamer has already taken a first-class five-wicket haul.

That combination is rare. Teenage seamers generally enter senior cricket as bowlers who contribute very little with the bat; Minto has already suggested there may be genuine all-round potential.

There is obviously enormous uncertainty. His senior sample is tiny compared with players such as Sales, Coles or Lawes, and fast-bowling development is rarely linear.

But rankings of young players should reward extraordinary achievement relative to age. Minto has been doing things at 16 and 17 that good county professionals often take years to achieve. If both disciplines continue developing, No.17 may ultimately look conservative.

18. Ben Mayes

191 v Scotland (U19 World Cup, January 2026; England U19 record) • Century from 65 balls, the fastest Young Lions hundred • 109 v Sussex (One-Day Cup, August 2026; senior hundred at 18)

Mayes’ 191 against Scotland at the 2026 Under-19 World Cup demands attention. It was the highest score by an England men’s U19 player and included the fastest Young Lions hundred, reached from 65 balls.

Age-group cricket must be treated cautiously, but Mayes has already begun translating that promise into senior performance. His 109 against Sussex in the One-Day Cup gave him a professional hundred at just 18.

That is the important bridge. Dominating other teenagers identifies talent; doing it against county professionals begins to demonstrate that the talent can survive the transition.

Mayes remains a long way from a finished batsman, and it would be premature to compare his senior record with players several years older.

But the ceiling is obvious. If the large scores continue arriving as Hampshire expose him to more Championship cricket, he could rise through this ranking extremely quickly.

19. Eddie Jack

England Lions selection while still only 20 • Established in Hampshire’s County Championship attack at a very young age • Four-wicket List A haul

Jack’s position is based less on one extraordinary statistical achievement than on the quality of the fast-bowling prospect England and Hampshire believe they possess.

He has already been exposed to Championship cricket at a young age and repeatedly brought into the England Lions environment. That pathway recognition matters more for fast bowlers than perhaps any other role because selectors can observe attributes — pace, bounce, movement and release characteristics — that raw averages often obscure.

Jack’s task now is to turn those attributes into a larger body of senior wickets. A four-wicket List A haul is encouraging, but the players above him increasingly have defining first-class performances on their CVs.

The attraction remains considerable. England’s next generation of fast bowlers will need genuine pace rather than another collection of 80mph county seamers. Jack has the tools to belong in that conversation.

20. Rocky Flintoff

123 off 76 v Somerset (One-Day Cup, August 2026) • Lancashire’s youngest-ever first-team centurion • England Lions’ youngest-ever centurion

The surname makes objectivity difficult, but Rocky Flintoff’s performances, at such a young age, increasingly justify the attention independently of his father.

His 123 from 76 balls against Somerset in this year’s One-Day Cup made him Lancashire’s youngest first-team centurion. Before that, he had already become England Lions’ youngest centurion, breaking a record previously held by a former Top Gear presenter.

Those achievements are striking because Flintoff is still only 18. There are players several places above him who are unquestionably better cricketers today; very few were accomplishing comparable things at his age.

The next question is red-ball development. White-ball power and precocious talent are evident, but becoming a high-class Test batsman requires a much broader range of skills.

That uncertainty prevents a higher ranking for now. But if this list were ordered solely by ultimate ceiling rather than present achievement, Flintoff would probably sit considerably closer to the top ten.

21. Thomas Rew

First-class debut for England Lions before Somerset • 84 v Durham (One-Day Cup 2025, aged 17) • 352 List A runs at 44 after his first 11 matches

Being selected to make a first-class debut for England Lions before doing so for your county is about as explicit an endorsement of potential as the pathway can provide.

Thomas Rew has subsequently shown why. His unbeaten 84 against Durham in the One-Day Cup at 17 demonstrated unusual composure, and his early List A record suggests he is already comfortable against senior opposition.

Like his older brother James, he is also a wicketkeeper-batsman, an enormously valuable combination if both disciplines develop to international standard.

The obvious caveat is sample size. James Rew sits third because he has spent several seasons turning promise into hundreds; Thomas is still near the beginning of that process.

But this ranking is partly about identifying players before the evidence becomes overwhelming. Rew’s combination of age, representative recognition, batting ability and wicketkeeping makes him one of the most intriguing teenagers in English cricket.

22. Ben Dawkins

180 v Durham (County Championship 2026; maiden first-class hundred) • 66 v India (U19 World Cup final, February 2026) • Senior List A hundred while still a teenager

A maiden first-class hundred is important. Turning it into 180 is considerably more revealing.

Dawkins’ innings against Durham this season provided exactly the sort of performance a young opening batsman needs to move from prospect lists into serious discussion. He has also demonstrated his temperament in representative cricket, making 66 against India in the 2026 Under-19 World Cup final.

Opening is relevant here. England’s persistent difficulties at the top of the Test order mean young players capable of facing the new ball deserve particular attention, and Dawkins has already shown he can make substantial senior scores.

He remains behind McKinney because the latter has a much larger body of first-class evidence. But Dawkins is younger and therefore has more developmental runway.

Another Championship season containing two or three big hundreds could move him substantially higher.

23. Naavya Sharma

4-17 v Lancashire (County Championship, May 2026; four wickets in ten balls) • Helped dismiss Lancashire for 84 • England Lions call-up at the age of 20 (2026)

Sharma’s 4-17 against Lancashire this May is precisely the sort of performance that makes a young bowler interesting. Four wickets arrived in ten balls as Middlesex dismissed Lancashire for 84, turning potential into something tangible at senior level.

England Lions selection at 20 provides further validation.

Sharma is nevertheless still at the stage where we are projecting from a relatively small body of first-class cricket. Young seamers often burst onto the scene before batsmen learn their methods; the real test is whether they continue taking wickets once opponents have had time to adjust.

The encouraging aspect is that he has already demonstrated an ability to change a Championship match rather than merely look promising.

There are seamers above him with more pace, unusual angles or larger bodies of work. Sharma’s route upwards is simple: keep taking wickets. At 20, he has plenty of time to do so.

24. Noah Thain

109 v Hampshire (One-Day Cup, July 2026) • 102 v Sussex (One-Day Cup, July 2026; maiden professional hundred) • 571 runs at 71.37 (2026 One-Day Cup group stage)

Thain’s 2026 One-Day Cup was too productive to ignore: 571 runs at 71.37, including hundreds against Sussex and Hampshire.

Those numbers establish genuine batting ability. The question is how heavily a ranking aimed partly at future England players should weight List A success compared with first-class performance.

That explains why Thain is 24th rather than much higher. England’s white-ball pathways matter, but the players towards the top of this list have either already succeeded internationally or demonstrated unusually strong Championship records.

Thain does have another advantage: he offers more than batting alone, giving Essex additional options with the ball.

The next leap therefore needs to come in red-ball cricket. If he can translate his One-Day Cup dominance into a Championship season containing several hundreds, his case changes dramatically. The talent is evident; what remains uncertain is the format in which his ceiling is highest.

25. Dan Lategan

Maiden County Championship hundred v Gloucestershire (August 2026) • More than 450 first-class runs before his breakthrough hundred • 272 List A runs at 54.40 in his first six matches

Lategan has forced his way into the top 25 rather than arriving with the reputation of some of the teenagers below him.

His early List A record was immediately productive — 272 runs at 54.40 across his first six matches — but the more important development has been his emergence in first-class cricket. A maiden Championship hundred against Gloucestershire this August provided the sort of innings that turns an interesting prospect into a credible red-ball candidate.

That trajectory is why he edges into the top 25.

There is less obvious international projection here than with Hull’s height, Baker’s pace or Farhan Ahmed’s teenage records. Lategan instead needs to build the traditional batsman’s case: runs, hundreds and consistency.

At 21, there is plenty of time (and his South African roots mean he will only qualify for England eligibility in 2028). Another strong Championship season would quickly make his current position look cautious; failure to build on the breakthrough would leave several players immediately below ready to overtake him.

26. Ekansh Singh

71 (first-class career-best while still a teenager) • 3-42 (List A career-best bowling figures) • 20 senior red- and white-ball appearances before turning 20

Singh is one of the harder players to place because the attraction lies in the combination rather than a single spectacular achievement.

He had already accumulated meaningful first-class and List A experience before turning 20, with a first-class best of 71 and List A bowling figures of 3-42. That is substantial exposure for a player attempting to develop as an all-rounder rather than a specialist.

The problem is that this is an exceptionally strong group. Most players in the top 25 have either a major hundred, five-wicket haul, international appearance or extraordinary age-group achievement that immediately explains their inclusion.

Singh’s case is more developmental. If the batting becomes good enough for a top-six position while his seam bowling remains genuinely useful, he suddenly becomes extremely interesting.

For now, however, he needs the defining senior performance that turns intriguing potential into something harder to leave out.

27. Sebastian Morgan

5-104 and 2-52 v Kent (County Championship, June 2026) • 23 County Championship wickets in his first six matches of 2026 • 24 off 11 v Scotland (U19 World Cup, January 2026)

Morgan’s ranking may prove temporary because his 2026 Championship bowling already hints at rapid development.

His seven wickets against Kent, including 5-104 in the first innings, provided a maiden first-class five-for and demonstrated that he can sustain a meaningful role across an entire Championship match. A strong early wicket tally (along with some impressive performances with the bat) this season has reinforced that impression.

For a young seamer, that matters far more than age-group statistics. County batsmen expose whether a bowler has sufficient control and variation to survive once the novelty disappears.

Morgan is this low because the sample remains small and because England currently possess an unusually interesting collection of young fast bowlers. Baker has pace, Hull extreme height and a left-arm angle, while Minto and Jack have compelling age-adjusted profiles.

Morgan can close that gap simply by continuing what he has started. Another 30-wicket Championship season and further demonstration of his all-round credentials would make him extremely difficult to rank 27th.

28. Alfie Ogborne

5-41 v Durham (One-Day Cup, August 2025) • Eight wickets in five One-Day Cup matches (2025) • England Lions selection (2026)

Left-arm seamers begin with an advantage in any prospect ranking because the skillset is relatively scarce. Ogborne has enough performance behind that scarcity to warrant serious consideration.

His 5-41 against Durham in the 2025 One-Day Cup was his first senior five-wicket haul, and England Lions selection in 2026 showed that national selectors see something worth developing.

The difficulty is competition. Hull provides a more extreme physical profile, Minto has achieved more at a younger age, and several right-arm quicks above Ogborne possess greater pace or stronger Championship records.

That doesn’t make Ogborne an inferior future professional; it simply makes his route to England narrower.

The next step must therefore be sustained first-class wickets. If he can establish himself as a 30- or 40-wicket Championship bowler while retaining the advantages of his left-arm angle, the international argument becomes much easier to make.

29. Joe Moores

81 off 65 v Scotland (U19 World Cup, January 2026) • 188-run partnership with Ben Mayes in the same match • County Championship debut for Lancashire aged 17

Moores is ranked 29th because we know so little, not because what we know is unimpressive.

Making a County Championship debut at 17 is itself significant. His 81 from 65 balls against Scotland at the Under-19 World Cup, as part of a 188-run partnership with Ben Mayes, offered further evidence that he belongs among England’s most interesting teenage batsmen.

But this is where age-group rankings can become overexcited. At 17, almost every aspect of Moores’ game and career remains unresolved. A handful of senior innings cannot tell us whether he becomes an international player, county regular or something in between.

That uncertainty should be acknowledged rather than disguised. But his potential is so great it prompted London Spirit to call him into their squad as an injury replacement in 2026.

Equally, merely being in this 30 at his age is significant. Moores has years to accumulate the evidence already possessed by players above him. He may ultimately have considerably more upside than his ranking suggests.

30. Caleb Falconer

Century off 63 balls v India (U19 World Cup final, 2026) • 177 v Surrey 2nd XI (April 2026) • First men’s Hundred signing before making a senior county debut

No.30 might appear harsh for a player who made a 63-ball century against India in an Under-19 World Cup final.

That innings is exactly why Falconer makes the list. Performing on the biggest stage available to an age-group player demonstrates both ability and temperament, while his unbeaten 177 for Middlesex’s Second XI shortly afterwards reinforced the sense that there is substantial batting talent to work with.

His Hundred selection before making a senior county debut was another remarkable vote of confidence.

But the distinction between Falconer and most players above him is straightforward: senior evidence.

Second XI and U19 cricket can identify exceptional prospects; they cannot tell us with certainty how those players will cope with experienced professional attacks week after week.

Falconer therefore starts at 30 not because his ceiling is lowest, but because his case currently requires the greatest projection. If the U19 performances translate quickly into Championship runs (and even some wickets courtesy of his right arm-seam bowling), he could make this ranking look outdated very quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best young English cricketer?

Jacob Bethell tops our ranking of England’s best cricketers aged 23 and under. At 22, Bethell has already established himself at international level across formats, including a Test century in Australia and a T20 World Cup semi-final hundred against India.

Who are England’s best young batting prospects?

Jacob Bethell, Rehan Ahmed, James Rew and Ben McKinney lead the list. Other highly rated young batters include Asa Tribe, Charlie Allison, Freddie McCann, Ben Mayes, Rocky Flintoff and Ben Dawkins.

Who are England’s best young fast bowlers?

Sonny Baker is the highest-ranked specialist fast bowler on our list, having already made his Test debut. Josh Hull offers a particularly unusual 6ft 7in left-arm option, while Eddie Jack, James Minto, Naavya Sharma, Sebastian Morgan and Alfie Ogborne are among the other young seamers to watch.

Who are England’s best teenage cricket prospects?

There is an unusually strong group of English teenagers emerging. Farhan Ahmed, James Minto, Ben Mayes, Rocky Flintoff, Thomas Rew, Ben Dawkins, Joe Moores and Caleb Falconer all feature in our top 30, with several already producing significant performances in senior county cricket.

Who are the best young all-rounders in English cricket?

Rehan Ahmed, Tom Lawes, James Coles, Ben Kellaway and Archie Vaughan are among the leading young all-rounders. They offer very different combinations: Rehan is a top-order batter and leg-spinner, Lawes a seam-bowling all-rounder, while Coles, Kellaway and Vaughan provide spin alongside their batting.

How have the players been ranked?

The ranking considers current ability, achievements in senior cricket, performances relative to age, England potential and likely ceiling. International and County Championship performances carry greater weight than age-group cricket, although exceptional achievements at u19 level are considered for the youngest players.

Who qualifies for the ranking?

The list covers English-qualified players aged 23 or younger on 25 August 2026. Players do not need to have played international cricket, and performances across the County Championship, One-Day Cup, T20 Blast, The Hundred, England Lions and England age-group sides have been considered.