The 'Sehwag vs Dravid' contest in junior cricket was as enticing as it could get.
It has been close to a decade since a BCCI tournament scorecard featured two of Indian cricket's greatest names -- Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid. However, the three-day match between Karnataka and Delhi in the Vijay Merchant Trophy National U-16 boys' tourney, which started on Monday, certainly had a different zing to it as the team list featured a Dravid and a Sehwag, albeit for rival sides. (Cricket News)
Karnataka U-16 captain Anvay Dravid and Delhi's dashing opening batter Aryavir Sehwag are fighting it out for their respective state teams.
While they met with contrasting results on Day 1-- Dravid junior getting out for a duck while junior Sehwag remaining unbeaten on 50, the 'Sehwag vs Dravid' contest in junior cricket was as enticing as it could get.
Anvay, younger son of former India skipper and current head coach Dravid, is also the team's wicketkeeper while Sehwag's elder son believes in giving the new ball a mighty thwack a la his father.
It's been a fine year for the 'Gen-Next' of Indian cricket's golden generation.
While Arjun Tendulkar has already made his IPL debut and is a first team regular for Goa, Dravid's elder son Samit is representing Karnataka in the Cooch Behar Trophy (National U-19 Meet).
Samit, however, has missed the India U-19 bus after a middling Vinoo Mankad Trophy (U-19 One Dayers) outing, where he scored one half-century.
In the ongoing U-16 match between Delhi and Karnataka at the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) Stadium in Mangalagiri, Karnataka were all out for 144 in 56.3 overs.
Anvay, who came in at No. 5 didn't open his account and was bowled by Delhi's most successful bowler Ayush Lakra. He faced two deliveries.
In reply, Delhi were comfortably placed at 107 for 1 in 30 overs at stumps, with Aryavir hitting seven fours and a six in his unbeaten 50 off 98 balls.
Aryavir's stance and shot-making bear resemblance to his dad as he sent pacer Vaibhav C's delivery soaring over deep square leg for a maximum and save one, all his other six boundaries were cracked on the off-side -- one through backward point, two of them through covers and at least three in the gully region.
This is Aryavir's second season in U-16, though he didn't get to play any matches during last year as he was mostly a travelling squad member.
However this time, he has sharpened his game and playing 98 balls on the day is a testimony to that.
The scores of junior level games ultimately doesn't make much of a difference when these boys will make transition to senior cricket but Aryavir and Anvay will have no option but to carry the burden of their famous last name, something Arjun would only know too well.