rkt.india Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 August 26, 2012 was a momentous day for Indian cricket our Under-19 team had lifted the World Cup in Australia, beating the hosts in the final. While the seniors had been whitewashed a few months ago in the same country, our boys defeated all odds to reclaim the coveted trophy. At one stroke, these youngsters became household names, for they were no longer appearing just on sports pages, but on the front pages of newspapers and tabloids. Even some of the most respectable voices in world cricket thought that a few of our boys might be ready to don the national colours. With the league phase of this seasonÃÔ Ranji Trophy having concluded, this might be a good time to see how these promising young stars of the U-19 World Cup fared amid the senior men on their home turf. This may not only elaborate the relevance of Under-19 cricket but also reaffirm Ranji TrophyÃÔ place in Indian cricket. There have been many occasions when players have been made to jump the queue and represent the Indian team straight from the Under-19 level. Some of these players did sparkle in the beginning, but after a short while were sent back to domestic cricket to reclaim form. While some of them managed to find their way back to the top, others just flittered away into the oblivion. LetÃÔ start with the Under-19 team captain Unmukt Chand, marked as the most promising cricketer of the lot, and touted to be a replacement for Gambhir and Sehwag. Unmukt has scored 445 runs at 37.08 in eight matches, while Jeewanjot Singh from Punjab, who played half of his Ranji matches on a green-top in Mohali, has scored 916 runs in nine matches. In any case, two centuries in 21 first-class matches doesnÃÕ really speak volumes about a potential Test opener. Unfortunately, Unmukt isnÃÕ an aberration, for most players from the winning squad (barring Sandeep Sharma from Punjab) have either struggled to hold their own for their respective teams, or havenÃÕ even managed to break into the playing XI this Ranji season. Baba Aparajith, Prashant Chopra, Smit Patel and Akshdeep Nath average 39.50, 31.50 and 36.42 and 18 respectively. While left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra picked up 18 wickets for Delhi, Harmeet Singh, who was being pushed as the next big thing in Indian cricket, didnÃÕ feature for Mumbai even after he started the season for Rest of India and West Zone in the Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy respectively. There are a few others who didnÃÕ even play a single game. The only guy who stands out is PunjabÃÔ new ball bowler Sandeep Sharma, who has taken 41 wickets at 17.95. Incidentally, he was one of the underrated players of that World Cup-winning team, which tells us how incorrect our assessments could be with regards to youngsters. While most were predicting Chand, Harmeet and Aparajith to set the domestic season on fire, little did they realise that performances are a little difficult to replicate at the higher level immediately. Mostly, the younger lot is judged on potential based on few data points, for the sample size is too small, leaving a lot to everyoneÃÔ imagination. One solid performance or one courageous response to a certain situation could be misleading and misinterpreted. While itÃÔ important to give youngsters a go and also a long rope, itÃÔ equally prudent to hold your horses while making outrageous predictions about their immediate future. First-class cricket in India, however average its standard may be, remains the best breeding ground for upcoming talent, for the difference between Under-19 cricket and Ranji Trophy is huge. Ranji Trophy isnÃÕ the finishing school either, and frequent India-A tours must assume that responsibility. If we want to continue to grow as a cricketing nation, we need to get over this obsession with age-group tournaments, for they can only work as a feeder-line to first-class cricket, and not the route to the final destination. http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/beyondtheblues/archives/2013/01/under19_stars_shown_the_mirror.php
Old guy Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 i agree also some of the better under 19 bowlers were not even there ... there is big big gap between under 19 level and even domestic level only the best of under 19 lot do well others are forgotten soon
India-KXIP fan Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Sid Kaul is a 135 and good bowler now 4 years later. Sandeep is doing really well for his age and by the time he is 22-23 he will be slightly quicker.
jairamesh Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Jeewanjot Singh should be in A team tour. I would also perceiver with Chand on A tours. Sandeep Sharma, I would bring him straight into ODI and T20 squad
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Jeewanjot Singh should be in A team tour. I would also perceiver with Chand on A tours. Sandeep Sharma, I would bring him straight into ODI and T20 squad lol no. BK is already there and similar type of bowler. Then we have Pathan and PK too who are swing bowlers. Sandeep is slow and totally dependent on swing right now.
Old guy Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 lol no. BK is already there and similar type of bowler. Then we have Pathan and PK too who are swing bowlers. Sandeep is slow and totally dependent on swing right now. agree next guy to debut will be pandey :om:
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Pandey is a Stuart Clarke type bowler. Not confident about him in ODI's. But lets see. Reckon Mohit Sharma may debut in ODI ahead of him.
Old guy Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Pandey is a Stuart Clarke type bowler. Not confident about him in ODI's. But lets see. Reckon Mohit Sharma may debut in ODI ahead of him. def more suited for tests ..but knowing indian selectors it does not matters :giggle: well his pace is good and has got one awesome out swinger...bowlers like this are always dangerous
India-KXIP fan Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 lol no. BK is already there and similar type of bowler. Then we have Pathan and PK too who are swing bowlers. Sandeep is slow and totally dependent on swing right now. agree nexy guy to debut will be Sid Kaul :om: agree next guy to debut will be pandey :om: Oneday average 55. More matches than wickets. No thanks lol.
vayuu1 Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 What happened to sayed who missed under19 wc , heard he was capable of clocking 140+
rkt.india Posted January 16, 2013 Author Posted January 16, 2013 I think mohsin sayed Havent heard of him since then. He suffered dengue and recovered well but dont know if he played cricket after that or not. Edit: here. He played last match in November U19. http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/412/412488/Miscellaneous_Matches.html
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Maharasthra don't have a great attack. Strange he hasn't gotten a chance. Bowls a lot of wides, btw checking out the scorecards.
rkt.india Posted January 16, 2013 Author Posted January 16, 2013 Maharasthra don't have a great attack. Strange he hasn't gotten a chance. Bowls a lot of wides, btw checking out the scorecards. He has played One day for Maharashtra last year, hopefully, this year too and he is too young, only 17. He has chance to play next U19 WC as well.
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Hopefully he does. Maharashtra selection is usually as dodgy as Delhi.
vayuu1 Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 We seems to have habit of wasting young talent,abid nabi ,was playing good cricket and yet was not picked by selectors ,he went the icl way and rest as they say is history .
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 We seems to have habit of wasting young talent' date='abid nabi ,was playing good cricket and yet was not picked by selectors ,he went the icl way and rest as they say is history .[/quote'] He was always a bit overhyped for mine. When he came back from ICL, he had a pretty good season too. And then tanked for no reason..
saneindian Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Going back to 2000, the following names came to the national side after a successful stint with the u-19 team Mohd Kaif Yuvraj Singh Reetinder Sodhi Ajay Ratra Parthiv Patel Dinesh Karthik Suresh Raina RP Singh Piyiush Chawla Rohit Sharma Ishant Sharma Virat Kohli Jaydev Unadkat None of them have made a mark at the test level yet, Kohli is the only one who looks to be on the way to have a good test career while Yuvraj, Kohli and Irfan have been the three biggest ODI successes. Ishant has been the biggest let down but has played max number of tests in that list. Given that this trend of moving players from u-19 to in't cricket started with Kaif in that test series vs SA in early 2000, if even 2-3 of those guys would have cemented their place in the side, we would not be having the headache of going through the transition period right now.
Cevno Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Missed out on Pujara for some reason ? Also Dhawan and Uthappa.....
saneindian Posted January 16, 2013 Posted January 16, 2013 Pujara played u-19 in 2006, made his debut in 2010. Uthappa played u-19 in 2004 , debut in 2006 Dhawan u-19 in 2006 but debut only in 2010. Was listing guys who played international cricket soon after doing well in u-19 cricket without much domestic cricket..
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