Our Under-19 Side Just Won The Asia Cup And Here Are 7 Team India Players Who Rose Through The Junior Ranks
These guys went from being men to boys.
Unless you have been living under a rock and not following cricket at all, you will be aware that the Indian Under-19 team won the Asia Cup after beating Bangladesh in a thriller. So the future is pretty good as one day these guys are expected to be representing the senior side.
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But it will not be something new. In the past, there have been many who have broken through the ranks of Under-19 cricket. Some have become household names, others also got some decent success. So who are these guys? Let's take a look at some prominent names:
1. Virat Kohli
In 2008 he led the Under-19 side to the World Cup title. In a matter of months he was playing for the senior side. Now the man is possibly the best batsman across formats and a household name in international cricket.
2. Yuvraj Singh
He was part of the side which won the 2000 Under-19 World Cup. By the end of the year he was part of the Indian team and in a couple of years hailed as one of the best finishers in the world. The man almost singlehandedly won us the 2011 World Cup and also won a battle over cancer to make a comeback.
3. Irfan Pathan
Possible the best swing bowler he produced in the last decade, Pathan was noticed after his performances for the junior side in 2003. By the start of 2004, he was our premier pacer and for the next 3-4 years a lethal customer with the ball in hand.
4. Mohammad Kaif
The man who led us to the junior title in 2000, Kaif is remembered best for his epic 87 not out in the Natwest final. One of the best fielders in the world, he was the total package for nearly half a decade and the backbone of our middle and lower order.
5. Prithvi Shaw
The skipper of the side that got the title in 2018, he arrived on the scene with a Test hundred later in the year. He is not yet 20 and a future prospect.
6. Shubman Gill
Hailed as the next Virat Kohli, he is all set to make his mark in the international stage.
7. Reetinder Singh Sodhi
One of the good all-rounders we had our disposal at the start of the 2000s. He too was part of the victorious World Cup junior team and along with batting and bowling, was an exceptional fielder. The limited time he spent in the side, he was a valuable asset in every department.
