Abhinav Mukund is a fluent batsman through the off side with a penchant for big scores. Before his 20th birthday, this left-hand Tamil Nadu opener had to his name a triple-century, hundreds on Ranji and Irani Trophy debuts and a quadruple-century opening stand with India's back-up Test opener, M Vijay. For a batsman who in his early seasons showed some weakness in his on-side game - often playing around the front pad - Abhinav scores hundreds fairly regularly, one every third first-class match.

When picked in India's squad for the U-19 World Cup in Malaysia in 2008, Abhinav ran into poor form and didn't get a game during India's World Cup victory. However, he came back and followed it up with the triple-century, and loads of other runs. After four seasons of first-class cricket, Abhinav averaged 60, and was chosen to open for India after both Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were injured before India's tour of the West Indies in 2011. A couple of steady knocks in the Test series got him into the squad for the England tour that followed, as the reserve opener.
Cricinfo staff