Michael Cormack

An off-spinner in the classical mould, Michael Cormack has been touted to be a potential candidate to be Nathan Lyon's successor at some point in the future. Right from his teenage days, Cormack has been a revelation. His penchant to flight the ball and bowl that orthodox off-spinner's line just outside the off stump makes him an exciting prospect, particularly for the longer format of the game. The coaches who have worked on him feel that he has the potential to play all three formats. Cormack has been under the radar of the South Australian talent scouts from his younger days itself.

Cormack's success in the Under-19 Australian National Championships is what has propelled his case further. He has over 40 scalps at an excellent average of 26 thus far - numbers that speak volumes of his skills. Cormack has been picked in the Futures League and also obtained a BBL contract with the Adelaide Strikers although he is yet to debut for them. Things are moving at a rapid clip for the young offie and one hopes that he is able to translate his potential at the highest level. It took Australia quite a lot of time to get a decent replacement for Shane Warne in the form of Nathan Lyon. If Cormack is handled well, the transition after Lyon won't take so long.

By Hariprasad Sadanandan