As we bid goodbye to 2021 and start afresh in the new year, there are plenty of athletes looking to make their mark in the world of sport.
Here are 22 sports stars you need to watch out for in 2022.
1. Kylian Mbappe (Football)
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With his contract expiring in the summer and a World Cup crown to defend in the winter, 2022 could be the year where Kylian Mbappe continues to make headlines.
2. Venkatesh Iyer (Cricket)
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All-rounders are a precious commodity in Indian cricket, and Venkatesh Iyer has already been fast-tracked to the Indian set-up after only 10 IPL matches.
3. Ravi Bishnoi (Cricket)
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Ravi Bishnoi has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in Indian cricket, and the leg-spinner could feature for India in the 2022 T20 World Cup with another strong showing in the IPL.
4. Richa Ghosh (Cricket)
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Richa Ghosh is one of the most destructive batters in the current Indian setup, and the 18-year-old could have a breakout year for the country in 2022.
5. Jemimah Rodrigues (Cricket)
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Jemimah Rodrigues scored 249 and 333 runs respectively in the recent editions of the Women’s Hundred and Big Bash, and the 21-year-old will have an important role to play for India in 2022 as they look to win their maiden ODI World Cup.
6. Gabriel Martinelli (Football)
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Gabriel Martinelli burst onto the scenes in 2019 for Arsenal and after missing out on playing time last season due to injury, the young Gunner could take another massive step in 2022 as the North London club look to regain their status in Europe’s elite.
7. Jude Bellingham (Football)
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Jude Bellingham has all the gifts to be one of the most complete central midfielders on the planet, and the teenager is likely to play a central role in England’s World Cup hopes in 2022 in Qatar.
8. Vivianne Miedema (Football)
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It’s a big year for Arsenal Women striker Vivianne Miedema, with the Dutch forward looking to help the Gunners win the NWSL trophy in England while also defending Holland’s crown at the 2022 European Championships.
9. Charles Leclerc (Formula One)
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Charles Leclerc has outperformed the struggling Ferrari over the past two seasons in F1 but there are lot of expectations on Monaco driver in 2022 with the Prancing Horse expected to return to the top of the grid.
10. George Russell (Formula One)
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11. Daniil Medvedev (Tennis)
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Daniil Medvedev was the only player to stop Novak Djokovic in Grand Slams in 2021, winning his maiden Majors title at the US Open, and the world number two could finally be the one to break the Big Three’s dominance of the sport with another strong showing in 2022.
12. Rafael Nadal (Tennis)
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Rafael Nadal hasn’t features in a Grand Slam since his excruciating defeat to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros in June and the Spaniard will be looking to regain his mojo in 2022 at the age of 35.
13. Emma Raducanu (Tennis)
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Emma Raducanu set the world alight in 2021 with her stunning US Open performance and the teenager will look to continue her meteoric rise in the new year, starting with her maiden trip to the Australian Open.
14. Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling)
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After a disappointing showing at the Tokyo Olympics last year, Vinesh Phogat will be looking to bounce back sharply in 2022 and make her mark at the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
15. Neeraj Chopra (Athletics)
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All eyes will be on Neeraj Chopra in 2022 as the Olympic Gold Medallist looks to follow up his success in Tokyo with another strong showing at the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
16. Klay Thompson (Basketball)
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Klay Thompson returns to a basketball court in over two and a half years in 2022, and the five-time All-Star could mark his return to the league with a fourth Championship as the Golden State Warriors currently sit on top of the tree in the NBA with the best record.
17. LaMelo Ball (Basketball)
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Lamelo Ball has already shown bursts of superstardom in his first two seasons in the league, and the Charlotte Hornets star is already in the conversation for one of the top-ten point guards in the NBA.
18. Liston Colaco (Football)
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Liston Colaco has had a stellar start to the ISL season with five strikes, and the 23-year-old forward could solve India’s goalscoring woes in 2022 and stake his claim to be the heir to Sunil Chhetri’s throne.
19. Jake Paul (Boxing)
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Jake Paul has taken the boxing world by storm after continuing to embarrass former UFC champions, and it will be fascinating to see what path the YouTube star takes in 2022 in the ring.
20. Ansu Fati (Football)
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After missing the majority of 2021 due to injury, Ansu Fati will have a big role to play for club and country in 2022 as both Spain and Barcelona look to reclaim their former glories and usher in a new generation of superstars.
21. Anthony Joshua (Boxing)
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After suffering only his second professional defeat in September, Anthony Joshua will be seeking redemption in 2022 in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk for the unified heavyweight world title.
22. Josh Inglis (Cricket)
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Josh Inglis is yet to make his debut for Australia, but the wicket-keeper batter could be one of the breakout stars in 2022, considering his immense potential and rare skill-set in the shortest format.
Shivaan Shah