If Indian cricket is going through a phase of transition with captaincy and personnel changes in the men's senior team, the performance of India's under-19 cricketers in the World Cup in the West Indies shows there is enough talent waiting in the wings. (More Cricket News)
Critics have raised questions on BCCI's inability to stage domestic cricket in the last two years. The coronavirus pandemic has left domestic cricketers in the lurch and BCCI has perhaps focused more on staging IPLs overseas. But India's under-19 cricketers haven't looked rusty at the ICC U-19 World Cup 2022.
The Indian U-19 team not only won its matches convincingly but showed that the bench strength was very strong when the former champions were laid low by COVID-19 and had to fly in reinforcements.
On Saturday, India won a low-scoring match against defending champions Bangladesh to set up a semifinal clash against Australia on Wednesday. England play Afghanistan in the first semifinal on Tuesday.
The balance in the Indian under-19 team has played a significant role in the World Cup campaign. No team has scored 200 against India although Australia may prove to be a different kettle of fish.
India's bowling has played a key role in West Indies. Due to COVID, the batting has been inconsistent but the variety in bowling has won key matches for India. Pacer Rajvardhan Hargargekar is doing a Shaheen Afridi with two of his five wickets coming in the first over of an innings.
Left-arm pacer Ravi Kumar Singh, Ravindra Jadeja-type Vicky Ostwal (nine wickets in four games), left-arm spinner Nishant Sindhu and off-spinner Kaushal Tambe add a lot of variety to the Indian attack.
After four-time champions beat South Africa by 45 runs, COVID struck the Indian camp. Six players were down and that included skipper Yash Dhull.
Despite the virus, India had enough in their tank to beat Ireland and Uganda in league games. The Hrishikesh Kanitkar-coached side showed tremendous flexibility during hard times as India beat Ireland and Uganda by 174 runs and 326 runs, respectively.
With Dhull and others back in the side after serving their mandatory quarantine period, India took sweet revenge against Bangladesh, getting better of the defending champions by five wickets in a tense quarterfinal encounter on Saturday.
“Our team combination has been very good and the boys are gelling well. Whenever someone is down, we all get together to bring them up. It is a lifetime experience here,” Dhull said after beating Bangladesh.
The Delhi-lad also thanked National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman for his guidance during the tournament. The former India batsman is with the team in the Caribbean.
“The team is improving day by day. Laxman sir is giving his experience, gives us a lot of help in the middle. We will look at the semis on the day of the match depending on how the wicket is,” Dhull said.
The Australians stormed into the semis after beating Pakistan.
IND Vs AUS Head-To-Head
Indian enjoy a healthy 5-2 record against Australia in U-19 ICC World Cups. Baring the two losses in the 1988 and 1998 editions, the Indians have won every single time the teams have met since then, including the 2012 final – best remembered for Unmukt Chand’s majestic 111 not out that helped India win.
Although history does not matter on a particular day, India will definitely go into the semifinal as favourites.
One of the disadvantages Australia have is their lack of match preparation prior to the tournament. While India had a national camp at home and Asia Cup in the UAE ahead of the World Cup, Australia’s preparations had been heavily impacted by the virus.
With no full-squad camps or national tournaments in the past two years, the Cooper Conolly-led side entered the tournament with just one warm-up game against India.
IND Vs AUS: Key Players
All eyes will be on India’s Angrish Raghuvanshi, Raj Angad Bawa and Yash Dhull. With 272 runs from four games including a ton and a fifty, Raghuvanshi has been India’s top run-getter in the tournament. His contribution at the top will be crucial.
Captain Dhull anchored the Indian innings against Bangladesh. His cool head and cover drives against the defending champions on Saturday gave India the upper hand. Dhull and middle-order batsman Raj Angad Bawa will have to play crucial roles.
Among the bowlers, Vicky Otswal and Ravi Kumar Singh will be India’s trump cards against Australia. Vicky lit up the tournament with his five-for against South Africa in the opener, while Ravi’s 3/14 against Bangladesh made everyone take notice of him.
Australia are hopeful their ambidextrous spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan will be available against his motherland on Wednesday. Radhakrishnan missed the games against Scotland and Pakistan and the Tasmania spinner’s inclusion in the playing XI will give Australia a big push considering his all-round abilities.
Teague Wyllie has been in rocking form in the ongoing World Cup with two half-centuries and an unbeaten ton and Australia will once again look up to the in-form opener against India. Tom Whitney, who returned against Pakistan, has been Australia’s best with seven wickets so far in the tournament.
Australia, too, have been hit by COVID-19 with reports suggesting that four players testing positive during the U-19 World Cup gave some selection headaches.
