India’s next generation stars will be born here

Coach Paras Mhambrey’s side was an all-conquering force in 2019, winning the Under-19 Asia Cup in September and a Tri-Nations tournament with England and Bangladesh held on English soil. It has not lost a bilateral series since the 2018 U-19 World Cup, beating South Africa, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan away from home.

Among potential breakout stars is southpaw opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who became the youngest cricketer in the world to score a List A double century in October in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Captain Priyam Garg is well-stocked with the spin options, particularly left-armers Atharva Ankolekar and Shubhang Hegde, with Sushant Mishra leading the pace battery.

If India is the U-19 World Cup’s most successful-ever team, winning four times, New Zealand is the home of the event with the famously welcoming nation having hosted the event three times, more than any other.

It all started with Mohammad Kaif leading India to its maiden triumph in 2000. That team had also Yuvraj Singh. Eight years later, Virat Kohli captained the team to victory and his march has not stopped since then with 43 ODI centuries under his belt.

Kohli steered a side featuring Ravindra Jadeja and Manish Pandey to overall victory in Malaysia, leading by example and making a superb hundred in the group stage against West Indies.

Less predictably, then-19-year-old Kohli gave his medium pace a successful airing, snaffling a vital two for 27 including the wicket of captain Kane Williamson in the semi-final win over New Zealand.

True to form, Kohli relished testing himself against the best young players in the world.

“The ICC U19 World Cup was a very important milestone in my career,” said Kohli, who made 235 runs at an average of 47 in 2008. “It helped us get a good platform to build on and make our careers from thereon, so it holds a very important place in my mind and heart. It is very important to understand and respect the opportunity it provides to you.

“I remember playing against Kane (Williamson). He was someone who always stood out in the team, his batting ability was very different from the other players who were around.

“It is good to know that so many people from that batch, like Kane and Steve Smith, have played for their respective countries.”