JAKE Doran is going to be a big deal in Australian cricket.

He’s only 18 and has already earned comparisons with Mike Hussey, been the focus of a bidding war between two states, played in an Ashes tour match when he was 16 and had a taste of captaining his country.

Here are five reasons why Doran is the next big thing in Aussie cricket.

HE’S IN HIGH DEMAND

The biggest sign of how well thought of Doran is came last month when he was pried away from NSW by Tasmania.

Moves between states are common enough these days but accusations of moving for extra money are still something usually reserved for the football codes.

media_camera Jake Doran has a lot of expectations on him already.

However that was precisely what some suggested after Doran signed a two-year deal with the Tigers, even though he insisted it was due to more opportunities being on offer in the Apple Isle.

“With my decision there was always going to be criticism,” Doran said.

“If I did stay at New South Wales the other states would have said something.

“And now that I have gone to Tassie there was always something going to be said. People are always going to judge you on what you do.

“I really wanted to stay (at the Blues) and I wanted to spend my time here, but I think for me and my cricket I had to move on to Tassie and I think it’s a good move.

“It wasn’t anything to do with money or financial stuff; it just came down to opportunity.”

NSW captain Moises Henriques was obviously not of the same opinion, if his response to the below tweet is anything to go by.

"There's a long line at NSW, and it might have been a few more years until I got that [#BupaSS] gig." @JakeDoran02 pic.twitter.com/N1Im4Rcl6j — Aust Cricketers Assn (@ACA_Players) March 27, 2015

Henriques replied saying “that’s a lie”. The tweet has since been deleted.

HE’S READY FOR FIRST-CLASS CRICKET

The huge amount of hype building around Doran comes despite the fact he’s yet to play senior state cricket.

However, such are his talents that many astute judges are saying he’s ready for the cut and thrust of the Sheffield Shield.

media_camera Jake Doran in action for Fairfield-Liverpool in Sydney grade cricket.

This includes a man whose scored almost 10,000 runs in that competition, Chris Rogers.

“Jake is ready for Shield cricket right now,” Rogers told Cricket Australia’s website earlier this month.

“It’s going to be down to him. He’s got the talent and there’s a lot of people pushing him.

“The only currency is runs and when he goes and plays with the men it’s going to be a different challenge altogether. He has an outstanding base.”

HE’S GOT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

He may be a couple of years away from his twenties but Doran has already tasted the feeling of captaining his country, having temporarily led Australia’s U19 side during the recent series against England’s U19s.

Other players that have skippered Australia at that level include current Test stars Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Mitch Marsh, as well as the likes of Damien Martyn, Usman Khawaja and the late Phillip Hughes.

media_camera Jake Doran has had to juggle cricket with school commitments in recent years.

While it’s certainly no guarantee of future success it’s a big box ticked for someone like Doran, who relished the chance to lead his peers.

“There are a lot of guys younger than me … I’m normally the youngest in the group,” Doran told Cricket Australia.

“There’s a lot of younger guys in the group that I feel that do (look up to him).

“In that way I’m more than happy if they come up with a question.

“I suppose there is a little bit of pressure behind it, but the only pressure there is the pressure I put on myself.”

HE’S BEEN COMPARED TO SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST

Cricket fans, perhaps more than supporters of any other sports, are always keen to compare players across generations.

While the tag of ‘the next Bradman’ is a little bit taboo, comparisons of a similar nature are often bandied about when discussing rising stars and there are a couple of names that Doran is starting to be associated with. One is Mike Hussey, and the other is Andrew Strauss.

media_camera Jake Doran in action for the Prime Minister’s XI against England earlier this year.

Greg Chappell made the Hussey comparison when Doran was still 16 years old.

“It’s not to say Jake is an exact replica of Mike Hussey but there are certain traits they share,” Chappell said.

“One of them is they’re able to come in and keep the scoreboard ticking over and read the play well and when he gets the chance he can accelerate the scoring as well. There are some similarities there.”

Ironically Chappell went on to say that it’s not fair to “put labels on kids”, but it was too late – the comparison had stuck.

Fast forward to this year and Rogers, who was working on the U19 coaching staff during the recent series against England, was reminded of his old country cricket teammate Strauss when watching Doran bat.

“I know this will be a little bit controversial, but I stood down the other end from Andrew Strauss at Middlesex and he has very similar technical characteristics as him (Doran).

“He’s left-handed dominant and he’s a left-hander and quite small.”

IT’S IN HIS BLOOD

media_camera Jake Doran (R) with older brother Luke (L).

Doran might be touted to become one of the best players in the country, but for now it’s debatable whether he’s even the best cricketer in his family.

Elder brother Luke, 23, is a left-arm spinner who has played a handful of games for New South Wales and turned out last season for Big Bash side Sydney Sixers – cross-town rivals of Jake’s team Sydney Thunder.

Luke also captained Australia’s U19 side for one match in 2009.

Originally published as 18-year-old is the new ‘Mr Cricket’