There is no denying the fact that the U-19 World Cup provides the Indian players with an exceptional platform to make their mark and reach their potential thus resulting in accelerated growth.
Given the huge fanfare of the IPL today, the U-19 players have the best exposure to rise in their ranks quickly. However, there have been cases where the players have gone through tremendous pressure where it becomes extremely difficult for them to cope with the stress. Hence, it is important for the players to prove their caliber by overcoming stress and anxiety. The below are the names of five such Indian U-19 players who are yet to make a breakthrough and we, at Cricket Betting Tips, believe that they will soon find their glory.
But before we go on to discuss the five former players in detail, did you know? The U-19 World Cup has offered immense glory to several players over the years? The current Indian captain, Virat Kohli led the junior side to glory in the 2008 edition, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Manish Pandey. Besides them, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill, who featured in the 2018 edition, are also finding their place slowly with the international audience.
List of five Indian under 19 players who are sure to make a breakthrough very soon!
Here are the names of five former players whose future looks extremely bright and prosperous. Take a look!
Ashok Menaria
After Virat Kohli successfully won the U-19 World Cup in the year 2008, it was very difficult for the next team to cope up with the activities as the previous team. As a result, the team did fail to perform their best in the 2010 edition. It was during this time that captain Ashok Menaria was recommended as one to watch out for in the future.
An expert spin-bowling all-rounder, Ashok Menaria had a promising domestic career with Rajasthan. With an average of more than 30 in List A and First Class cricket with the bat, Menaria failed to make a positive impact with the ball in hand.
Apart from these, Menaria has had a number of notable performances to his credit. However, Menaria has not kept up the expectations on the domestic front. Reflecting the performances of the fellow spin-bowling all rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, Menaria’s dreams of representing India seems far-fetched.
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan became highly successful after he became the then-youngest player in the history of IPL in 2015. However, he was already ruling the U-19 cricket with the Indian side then. Khan is one of the highest run-scorers in U-19 World Cup history with 566 runs in 12 matches across two editions. Additionally, he is also destined for Indian honors in the near future.
On the flip side, Khan has experienced exploitation as well. Given the cut-throat competition within the Mumbai domestic set-up, Khan shifted base to UP where he had a terrible time. But he did manage a few brilliant knocks with KXIP in the 2019 edition.
Although Khan is in his way to glory, he has definitely shown signs of his best performance in recent times. Upon returning to Mumbai, he scored 928 runs in six games, including a swashbuckling triple-hundred against UP. Khan is sure to strike a balance between consistency and extraordinary stroke play in the domestic and IPL circuits very soon.
Iqbal Abdulla
The Indian U-19 Batch of 2008 comprises some of India’s best players including Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja. The others such as Manish Pandey and Siddharth Kaul have also gone a long way to make a mark in the IPL.
However, Iqbal Abdulla, a left-arm spinner impressed during his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders. He won the Under-23 Player of the Tournament award in 2011. With time, Abdulla hasn’t reached the heights the reason being his inconsistency in the domestic circuit.
With respect to Royal Challengers Bangalore, Abdulla failed to make his mark. Currently, he is playing first-class cricket for Sikkim. His performances for Sikkim have been really praiseworthy.
Vijay Zol
Vijay Zol is a talented left-hand batsman and was the captain of the U-19 side in the 2014 U-19 World Cup. Although he didn’t gain much momentum in his performances, his talent was spotted right. Zol was bought by RCB.
Zol has been very consistent with his form. With averages of 34.90 and 28.73 in First Class and List A cricket, Zol has been overlooked at times. He continues to struggle to reach his maximum potential. Although he has age on his side, Zol’s domestic career so far has been on the lower side, given his potential and skills.
Unmukt Chand
Hailing from Delhi, Unmukt Chand is a top-order batsman. Like Kohli, Chand headed the Indian U-19 side in a successful campaign where the Delhi native scored a hundred in the final.
However, Chand hasn’t been able to convert his U-19 form to the domestic front and the IPL. Although he has played 21 matches in the IPL, Chand has only managed one fifty so far.
Currently, he is leading Uttarakhand. He is starting to get big runs in his favor. Nevertheless, Chand has not been able to make an everlasting mark in the domestic circuit but he has certainly grown in his career exceptionally well.
Final words
Pele Brazilian, the soccer player says it best, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. The above-listed cricketers are yet to make their breakthrough in their careers ahead. But given their expertise, hard work and efforts, they are sure to make it big in the coming years. Watch out!
