Internet Desk: The ICC U19 World is knocking the door as it will start from January 13 next year. The tournament have always provided a huge platform to the young cricketers to show their capabilities at the highest level of the game. The cricketing world got a lot of talents like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, Yuvraj Singh, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Virender Sehwag from this grand tournament who later ruled the World cricket.
The next U19 World Cup will be played in New Zealand in 2018 and the teams are gearing up to take part in the grand tournament.
The Indian U19 team was runners-up in the last edition back in 2016. Now in 2018, they are placed in Group B where they will play against Zimbabwe, PNG and Australia. Pithwi Shaw led India will face the Aussies in the opener on January 14, later they will face PNG and Zimbabwe on January 16 and 17 respectively. India will play all their three games at the same venue which is the Bay Oval placed in Tauranga.
Indian squad: Prithvi Shaw (captain), Shubman Gill, Himanshu Rana, Abhishek Sharma, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ishan Porel, Shivam Mavi, Riyan Parag, Aryan Juyal, Harvik Desai (WK), Arshdeep Singh, Shiva Singh, Pankaj Yadav, Anukul Roy and Manjot Kalra.
There are only a bunch of people who know about anything about these young cricketers. Here we will discuss about all the young colts who will travel with the team to play the U-19 World Cup.
Prithvi Shaw
This young fellow came under limelight back in 2013 when he scored 546 runs in an innings during a school tournament, which was a highest score by an individual at that point of time. He continued his dominating run in his first Ranji Trophy season too. In his outing for Mumbai in eight first-class games and in Duleep Trophy he smashed 945 runs with an average of 63 and the young kid also has the strike rate of 75 which is nothing but just astonishing. A lot will be depending on Prithvi during India’s U19 World Cup campaign.
Shiva Singh
Shiva is an 18 years old slow left –arm spinner from Uttar Pradesh. He was the star performer for India against England in Taunton. His performance helped India to win the match as he took five wickets for 38 runs.
Anukul Roy
Anukul is basically a slow left-arm bowler from Jharkhand, but he can help his side with his bat in the lower order too. In India’s last tour of England, he performed really well by taking 10 wickets in 4 games. With his assistance India colts won the series 5-0. The team management expects the same from him in New Zealand during the World Cup.
Aryan Juyal
He is a 16-year old Uttarakhand batsman. The selectors have picked him for his top performance in the Cooch Behar Trophy.
Shivam Mavi
He is mainly a right-arm medium pacer, but can help the side with the bat at lower order in difficult times. Though this young fellow has already played a lot of U19 games, but he hasn’t played any game for his state side Uttar Pradesh as of know.
Abhishek Sharma
This Punjab all-rounder ended as highest wicket taker with 59 wickets in 2016 Vijay Merchant Trophy. He also scored 1200 runs in 12 innings which was also the best by any batsman.
Looking at his performance Punjab team management gave him a place to the state team. He can be another key talent for the upcoming U-19 World Cup.
Ishan Porel
Bengal’s young sensation Ishan Porel will be the key in this Indian team as his experience of playing for Bengal will help the side in New Zealand. Porel bowled really well in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season as he has already scalped 13 wickets in five innings.
Kamlesh Nagarkoti
He came under limelight after taking a hat-trick in a List A match. Later the 17-year-old kid was picked for the India U23 squad for the AFC Emerging Players tournament which was played in Bangladesh.
During his England tour the young boy continued his dominating run by taking five-wicket hauls in both the innings of the Youth Test at Chesterfield. A lot will be depended on this young fellow during the ICC U19 World Cup.
Shubman Gill
This young sensation from Punjab batted at number three for the Indian U19 when the colts last toured England earlier in 2017. The young guy hammered 278 runs in just four innings at a whooping average of 93. Beside Prithvi he would be the most vital batsman of the team which will tour New Zealand for the World Cup.
Himangshu Rana
Opens batting with Prithvi Shaw, is one of the most experienced members of the team. Rana made his debut for Haryana when he was just 16. He has played 15 first class games and 12 limited over games for his state.
He is a very good timer of the ball and scored 792 in 15 matches for Haryana in the first class format. He also scored 172 runs in 10 innings at an average of 20. His role is very much important for this team.
Riyan Parag
Parag is a middle-order batsman of the team who did very well during India’s youth Tests against England, but after that he didn’t do that well with his bat. Though he played quite a few useful knocks in the U19 Challengers Trophy just before India’s squad was announced.
Harvik Desai
Harvik is an 18 years old wicket keeper from Saurashtra, likely to be the first choice for India. This young man made his List A debut for his team earlier this year and played five matches so far.
Arshdeep Singh: This young fellow from Punjab took 13 wickets in Vinoo Mankad Trophy for his state side. Not only that, he also bagged 19 wickets in just five outings for Chandigarh in the Punjab Inter-district ODI championship in 2017. Arshdeep was a part of India Red during the Challengers Trophy and picked seven wickets too.
Pankaj Yadav
Pankaj’s life story can inspire many people. He is a son of a milkman and playing cricket with a lot of obstacles. He is yet to play for his state team at the senior level.
Manjot Kalra
This Delhi boy represented India u-19 side in five List A and two first class matches. Although, he had some hard time regarding age verification issues but, BCCI gave him the clean chit ahead of the World Cup.