The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the batsman set to captain the Indian squad at the forthcoming Under 19 Men’s World Cup in South Africa. Uday Saharan, the standout middle-order batter with an impressive under-age cricket resume for Punjab, will helm the team in the global contest early next year. Saharan not only topped the run charts at the U19 One-Day Challenger Trophy but is currently leading India at the U19 Asia Cup in Dubai.
The 15-player squad destined for the World Cup is the same group showcasing their skills in the U19 Asia Cup. They are also scheduled to contend in a tri-series, along with England and host nation South Africa, as a prelude to the World Cup. Adarsh Singh from Uttar Pradesh, with his left-hand prowess at the bat, along with Maharashtra’s right-hand hitter Arshin Kulkarni, have been the mainstays opening India’s batting lineup in the Asia Cup. Their partnership has remained intact, thanks to the board’s vote of confidence. Kulkarni has even emerged as one of the tournament’s most prolific run-scorers as of December 12, 2023.
The batting order boasts Gujarat’s Rudra Mayur Patel at position three and Saharan himself, who recently notched a commendable 60 against Pakistan. Despite the unfortunate loss, his performance underlined his crucial role in the team. Hyderabad’s Aravelly Avanish Rao, a left-handed batter and wicketkeeper, is poised to don the gloves for the team, while Innesh Mahajan from Himachal Pradesh is identified as the secondary wicket-keeping option.
The squad showcases an array of finishers including Maharashtra’s Sachin Dhas, while the bowling department features prominent names like left-arm pacer Naman Tiwari from Uttar Pradesh and right-arm quick Raj Limbani hailing from Baroda. Alongside them, left-arm spinner and vice-captain Saumy Kumar Pandey from Madhya Pradesh and Hyderabad’s offspinner Murugan Abhishek bolster the attack. Limbani’s prowess has earned him the top wicket-taker spot in the ongoing Asia Cup.
Kulkarni, who is also adept with right-arm pace, and Saharan, pulling double duty with his offspin technique, add depth to the bowling options. Another versatile contributor is Musheer Khan from Mumbai, a left-arm orthodox spinner and sibling of Sarfaraz Khan, expected to lend a few overs when needed. Aaradhya Shukla, a right-arm pacer from Punjab, Baroda’s middle-order right-hander Priyanshu Moliya, and Karnataka’s right-arm fast Dhanush Gowda, complete the strength of the team.
The BCCI has not only invested in the main squad but has also lined up traveling standbys for the tri-series in the form of Prem Devkar, Ansh Gosai, and Md. Amaan. Additionally, Digvijay Patil, Jayanth Goyat, P Vignesh, and Kiran Chormale remain on standby as back-up players.
India is set to launch their U19 World Cup campaign on January 20, 2024, facing Bangladesh in Bloemfontein. The build-up through the tri-series begins on December 29, 2023, culminating in a final on January 10, 2024. As the young Indian cricket hopefuls prepare for international spotlight, all eyes will be on Saharan and his team to bring glory to the nation in one of the most anticipated cricketing events on the youth sports calendar.