Shiv Thakor      

Blessed with sporting and academic talents, Shiv Thakor demonstrated faith in his potential as a cricketer when he turned down offers to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Cardiff, Durham and Loughborough Universities in favour of a full-time commitment to Leicestershire. His breakthrough promised that Leicester's Indian community could have an exciting role model.

Thakor became the first Leicestershire-born player to make a century on first-class debut when he scored a brilliant 134 against Loughborough MCCU in 2011, sharing a county record fourth-wicket partnership of 330 with James Taylor. No stranger to extraordinary feats, he also holds the distinction of being the youngest player to make a century for Leicestershire in age-group cricket, having hit a hundred against Surrey at Under-9 level, and made double hundreds for Loughborough Grammar School (237 not out for the Under-13s) and Uppingham School. While so far seen predominantly as a batsman, he has shown himself to be a useful medium pace bowler when called upon.

After making a solid introduction to England U-19 cricket in the Test and one-day series against Sri Lanka in 2011 he was somewhat surprisingly overlooked for the Under-19 World Cup in Australia in 2012. He was selected as captain for the tour of South Africa in early 2013 only to suffer a broken finger in the opening warm-up game.

Thakur's decision to put cricket above studies came after a fine 2012 season in which he averaged 61 over 10 innings in six first-class matches, including four half-centuries, topping the Leicestershire averages in both the Championship and 40-over cricket. He was also awarded the England U-19 captaincy in South Africa, but had to withdraw from the tour because of injury.

He displayed a sturdy technique that enabled him to make an impressive unbeaten 85 on a seaming pitch in a winning cause against Hampshire at Grace Road and to bat for seven hours in two innings against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, making 61 and 39 not out to save a draw.

ESPNcricinfo - February 2013