Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) on Monday, 2 December, announced the Indian squad for the U-19 World Cup that will be held in South Africa in January-February 2020.
India, four time champions, will be defending their title in the upcoming tournament.
The Indian side is looking strong and will be a tough side to beat in the World Cup. All the members of the Indian squad have had a good domestic outing recently, and will be looking to create a mark in the U-19 international tournament.
Here’s look at the 5 players you need to know from the squad.
Priyam Garg
Priyam Garg, an upcoming star from Uttar Pradesh, will lead India in the next edition of the Under-19 World Cup that will be held in South Africa in January-February 2020.
The 19-year-old was included in the India Green squad for the Duleep Trophy in August 2019. He scored 867 runs at an impressive average of 66.69 in 12 first class matches for Uttar Pradesh.
Priyam already has a first-class double century to his name, which he scored against Tripura in December 2018. Apart from this, he has one century and five fifties.
The Uttar Pradesh cricketer also led India U-19 side during the tri-series in England in August this year. India went on to win the World Cup and the skipper was among the top five run-getters in the series along with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Divyaansh Saxena.
Dhruv Chand Jurel
Dhruv Jurel, the young wicket keeper batsman from Uttar Pradesh, will be the second in command to Priyam Garg when India will defend it’s U-19 World Cup next year in January.
Son of a Kargil war veteran, he led the runners-up India U-19 A team in a quadrangular series held in India in March this year. Dhruv also led the India U-19 team in the Youth Asia Cup this year in September this year.
The 18-year-old has always looked up to South African legend AB De Villiers for inspiration. Apart from AB De Villiers, being a wicket keeper, he considers MS Dhoni to be his role model.
He scored 736 in 11 matches in the Cooch Behar Trophy U-19 at an average of 61.33 with a highest score of 152, including three centuries.
Atharva Ankolekar
Atharva Ankolekar, son of a bus conductor, has also been selected in the India U-19 squad for the World Cup in 2020.
According to a report in The Hindu, Atharva was single-handedly raised by his mother, Vaidehi, after his father, Vinod died in 2010. His father was a bus conductor with BEST in Mumbai.
The 18-year-old left arm spinner helped the India U-19 team clinch the Asia Cup title with his five wicket haul against Bangladesh in the final. India scored a very low total of 106, but it was Atharva’s 5 for 28 that helped India to seal a five-run victory.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal, another sensation from Uttar Pradesh, has been named in the India U-19 squad for the World Cup that will be held in South Africa in January-February 2020.
Yashasvi, son of a shopkeeper and a teacher, has played for India’s Under-19 and Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Yashasvi made his List A debut against Chhattisgarh on 28 September 2019. He scored 44 off 62 balls in that match.
The Mumbai cricketer scored 677 runs in just 9 List A matches at a staggering average of 84.62, including three centuries and two half-centuries.
Kartik Tyagi
Kartik Tyagi, a young pacer from Dhanaura, Uttar Pradesh, has also been selected in the India U-19 squad for the World Cup.
The 19 year-old's journey has not been an easy one. Kartik, who belongs from a poor farming family, has faced a lot of hardships to get selected in the junior side. His father has been a pillar of support for him in his cricketing journey.
Kartik made his List A debut against Delhi on 5 February 2018. He took 2 wickets in that match at an economy of 5.55.
The UP lad has taken 9 wickets in 5 matches at an economy of 5.55 with an average of 29.00
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)