U19 World Cup 2024: India Set Sight on 6th Title – 10 Players To Watch Out For

#U19WorldCup | As India's Operation Hexa begins, let's look at the ten players who can make a difference.

The 15th edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is all set to start from 19 January in South Africa. 16 nations – who have been divided into four groups – will be competing in 41 matches for the ultimate glory.

India are the most successful team in this format, having lifted the trophy in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022. Understandably, they are among the prime favourites to win the title this time as well.

In the lead up to the tournament, the Indian team played three major series over the last three months. The first was a quadrangular series at home featuring India A, India B, England and Bangladesh, where India A emerged victorious beating India B in the finals.

Following that, the men in blue flew to Dubai to participate in the U19 Asia Cup, which saw Bangladesh claim the title by thumping India by 4 wickets. The final series before the World Cup warm-up matches was the tri-nation series with South Africa and Afghanistan. That trophy ended up being shared between South Africa and India due to the match getting abandoned.

Players To Watch Out for From India U19 Team

As the showpiece event is on the verge of commencement, let's put the spotlight on the aspiring Indian youngsters, who will be aiming to craft an exciting sixth chapter of championship success:

1. Uday Saharan

The skipper of the Indian team, 19-year-old earned his leadership role through outstanding performances, scoring an impressive 297 runs with four half-centuries and a best of 93 not out in the 2023 U19 Challengers Trophy in Guwahati.

Saharan, the middle-order batter, has steadily risen through the ranks, representing Punjab in the U14, U16, and U19 categories over the past five years.

Notably, Saharan played a resilient half-century against Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup held in Dubai. In the recent tri-nation Under-19s tournament with South Africa and Afghanistan, he continued his excellent form by scoring 112 runs against the hosts, South Africa. Leading up to the World Cup, the number five batter scored 74 runs in a warm-up match against Australia.

2. Aravelly Avanish Rao

In November 2023, representing India A (Under-19) in the Quadrangular series in Vijayawada, Avanish made heads turn by slamming 195 runs off just 119 balls. His exceptional performances earned him a spot in the U-19 Asia Cup in Dubai, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and also, a place in the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings team in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

A talented wicket-keeper batter hailing from Hyderabad, Aravelly Avanish Rao is known for his clean shots and consistently. In the last edition of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, he scored an impressive 274 runs in six innings.

Adding to his recent accomplishments, the batter displayed his prowess by striking a fine half-century in the tri-nation series against the Proteas.

3. Sachin Dhas

A promising number four batter from Maharashtra, Sachin Dhas stood out by scoring 294 runs in the Quadrangular series in November 2023.

In the 2023 edition of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Sachin emerged as the third-highest run-scorer with a total of 440 runs in nine games, which included a century.

This right-handed batter also impressed at the U19 Asia Cup, smashing a half-century against Pakistan.

4. Priyanshu Moliya

18-year-old prodigy Priyanshu Moliya has graced the first-class arena seven times for Baroda, stepping into the spotlight with his Ranji Trophy debut last year, where he achieved the feat of scoring back-to-back centuries, notching up 118 against Odisha and then following it up with 144 against Haryana in the subsequent innings.

Besides being a reliable middle-order batter, Moliya is also a versatile off-spinner. He was also a part of the Indian team at the U19 Asia Cup. In the tri-nation series, Moliya scored a half-century against South Africa.

5. Rudra Patel

A dynamic right-handed opening batter hailing from Gujarat, Rudra Patel accumulated 568 runs in 7 innings at the quadrangular tournament, at a staggering average of 113.60 and a strike rate of 122.41. Remarkably, he was dismissed for a score of below 50 just once in that competition.

This stellar performance came on the heels of Rudra's sensational display in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy in October. The 17-year-old emerged as the tournament's second-highest run-scorer with 513 runs in 5 innings for Gujarat. During this campaign, Rudra not only registered three consecutive centuries but also etched his name as one of two double-centurions, unleashing a breathtaking 232 against Himachal.

6. Musheer Khan

A powerful right-handed batter who also bowls left-arm spin, Musheer Khan had a stellar performance in a U19 series final between India A and India B, where he smashed an incredible unbeaten 127 off just 47 deliveries and took 2 wickets.

As a skilled all-rounder, Musheer showcased his versatility in the tri-nation series by taking a five-wicket haul against South Africa, alongside accumulating a crucial crucial 41 runs off 42 balls. 

Brother of Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer led Mumbai to the 2022 Cooch Behar Trophy final, where his outstanding contribution of 670 runs and 32 wickets earned him the Player of the Tournament title. This success paved the way for his debut in the Ranji Trophy against Saurashtra.

7. Arshin Kulkarni

Another breakout star in the squad is Maharashtra all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni. Known for his medium-pace bowling and top-order batting, he made a significant impact in the U19 Asia Cup. With the bat, he scored a total of 138 runs, while he also scalped four wickets

In the quadrangular series, he scored 261 runs at an average of 43.50. In the tri-nation series against South Africa, Kulkarni played a notable innings of 91 runs while also picking up two wickets.

8. Saumy Kumar Pandey

A consistent wicket-taker, Saumy Kumar Pandey was the most successful bowler in the quadrangylar series, where he picked up 13 wickets at an average of 23.15. He was also India's regular pick in the Asia Cup.

Adding to his dazzling repertoire, Pandey showcased his brilliance in the tri-nation series by delivering a scintillating six-wicket haul against Afghanistan and a notable three-fer against South Africa. In that tournament, he finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with total 9 scalps to his credit.

9. Dhanush Gowda

A skillful right-arm medium-fast bowler, Dhanush Gowda emerged as the leading wicket-taker at the Challengers Trophy in Guwahati, showcasing his prowess with nine wickets and an impressive economy of 4.42 runs per over. Representing India B in the quadrangular series in Vijayawada, the 18-year-old delivered a standout performance with a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh.

In the five matches he played, Gowda secured a total of nine wickets. In the tri-nation series, he scalped two wickets in the match against Afghanistan.

10. Naman Tiwari

A proficient left-arm seamer Naman Tiwari wreaked havoc on batters in the quadrangular series. Despite featuring in only four matches, the 18-year-old emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition, claiming an impressive tally of 12 wickets. 

The pacer nabbed three wickets against Bangladesh and two against Afghanistan in the U19 Asia Cup. In the tri-nation series, he further showcased his bowling prowess with a four-fer against the Afghans and a notable three-wicket haul against South Africa.