Tarun Nethula - New Zealand - Bowler

Born in India, 31-year-old Tarun Nethula, who moved over to New Zealand along with his parents when he was just 12 years, made his international debut for the Kiwis against Zimbabwe in an ODI in February 2012. The leg-spinner spasmodically figured in three more ODIs in 2012 before being pushed to the back burner. Nathan McCullum, who is also a handy batsman lower down the order, has been New Zealand's first choice spinner in the abbreviated forms of the game for quite a while. The stiff competition from Ish Sodhi, another spin bowler of Indian descent, has not helped Nethula's cause either.

As the old adage goes, leg-spinners are like fine wine - they take time to mature. If Nethula can improve on his control and add a few variations to his armour, he will lend a new dimension to the New Zealand bowling attack.

By Deivarayan Muthu