Meet Priyam Garg, The Son Of A Milk Seller Who Will Now Lead India In The Under-19 World Cup

When India go into do battle at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, they will have a new skipper at the helm. 19-year-old Priyam Garg is leading the Boys in Blue as they look to defend the title they won under Prithvi Shaw back in 2018. But this kid, or young man rather, who is a rising star in the game, has already achieved a lot, both on the field and off it. He is a potential talent for the senior team, and the struggle he has overcome to get this far shows his fighting spirit.

Priyam hails from a very humble background. His father is a milk seller and his family had to struggle to ensure he got proper training. His dad sold milk to people so that Priyam could get the travel fare needed to get to practice. On many days, when the money was not enough, the boy had to go on bus tops to reach his destination.

"My father did most of the hard work, he did all the odd jobs that you can imagine¡­ selling milk, driving school vans, loading goods, he ensured that I got a good life. He went through all that just to see me become a cricketer one day. He took me to Meerut and made sure that I got into a decent academy," Priyam had told Indian Express in an interview.

But money was not the only issue for him. When he was 11, Priyam's mother passed away and that would hit him hard in the years to come. But his father and sisters stood by him as his game continued to improve. The improvement paid dividends as Priyam went on to represent the Uttar Pradesh U-14, U-16 and U-19 sides.

Then came the moment that brought him to the limelight. In the Ranji Trophy in 2018, Priyam hit one double hundred, two centuries and five 50s. Consistent scoring in the premier domestic competition brought him up for selection in the junior team.

The kid did not have a television but it did not stop him from watching games as he went to TV showrooms. Sachin Tendulkar is his idol and the reason he took up the game in the first place. For his father, who once sold newspapers too to make ends meet, the fact that someone like Rahul Dravid feels Priyam will rise in the game, is something to be proud of.

Priyam is eligible to play for India U-19 till he turns 20. A good show in the World Cup will certainly boost his chances of selection in the senior side. He has already overcome several odds so no reason why he cannot go the distance. Do not be surprised if we see him in national colours inside a couple of years. The kid has potential, he only needs to let the talent flourish.

Priyam has a wrong way to go, but he is going about it in the right way. A new star on the horizon who could end up making us proud in the long run. He is a young lion finding his roar. And when he does, the world will take notice.