Dawid Malan is a late bloomer in the international circuit. The Roehampton-born left-handed batsman has been a consistent performer for Middlesex for more than a decade and the national honours was a just reward for sheer consistency. However, Malan could never achieve the heights in first-class cricket and it wasn't until 2014 that he finished a season with an average greater than 40. 2016 turned out to be a turning point in his career though as he plundered an unbeaten 126-ball 185 against Sri Lanka A in Northampton - a record score for the Lions. With a dwindling Test average, Malan was selected for the Ashes series in 2017-18. In a tour, where the England team was drubbed 4-0 by Australia, Malan’s performance with the bat was a bright spot for the visitors. He registered his maiden Test ton at the WACA in Perth and crossed fifty on three other instances.The left-handed batsman played to his limitations and adapted to the different situations. He racked up 383 runs in nine innings averaging above 40 and ended up as the leading run-getter, and by far the best batter for his side in the series. In T20s, he became an international mercernary and played in various leagues. This in turn helped his game at the international level and Malan became the first player to go past the 900-point mark in T20I Rankings in 2020. Little known facts: - Born in London, Malan grew up in South Africa. - His father and brother have played first-class cricket. - He made his first class debut at the age of 18 for Boland, before being picked by Middlesex. - Sporting heroes: Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.
