U-19 Cricket World Cup: The future is here and now
A Hans Zimmer-style background score builds urgency and heightens anticipation as a dreamy-eyed Mehedi Hasan lists out his future plans in this promotional video for the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup. He wants to play for the Tigers for the next 15 years, says the captain of the Cubs, and wishes to lead them one day. For him, and 239 other players from 16 countries, the future is here and now. For on Wednesday, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the eastern port city of Chittagong, hosts Bangladesh take on defending champions South Africa in the opening match of the biennial affair, one that serves as a fairly reliable indicator of what tomorrow holds for teams in general and players in particular.
However, on the eve of the opener, the best promotion for this tournament — and a reminder to the players as to what it means — was provided not by ICC’s filmmakers but by the young South African tearaway Kagiso Rabada some 9000 kilometers away in Centurion as he destroyed England with 13 wickets in the fourth Test match. Two years ago, in the United Arab Emirates, Rabada was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament (14) as he guided the South Africa colts to the trophy — ending his country’s world title drought in the desert. He made his T20 International debut later that year, took six wickets on his ODI debut last year, and has scalped 24 batsmen in six Tests to be, arguably, the brightest up-and-coming star in international cricket.
‘Arguably’, because 170 million people would vehemently oppose this assertion. Bangladesh don’t need any Rabada to notify them what Under-19 World Cup can do to a youngster or a nation. They have Mustafizur Rahman. The left-arm seamer (or rather left-arm cutter) from Satkhira, too, played in the 2014 edition and took a total of eight wickets in the competition. Within one year, he would make his international debut and play a huge hand in inflicting series losses on Pakistan, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe in that order. Among his collection of international scalps sit Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, M.S. Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Quinton de Kock.
Big gain
While Rahman has been Bangladesh’s biggest gain from the 2014 Junior World Cup, he is only one of the five players from that squad who went on to play for the national team. It’s interesting because Bangladesh, as a team, didn’t perform too well, finishing 9th in the standings — which was two rungs below even Afghanistan. The eventual winners South Africa, on the other hand, saw only Rabada make the senior grade. This could, perhaps, be because the South African team in this period did not have too many vacancies. As a rule, up-and-coming teams tend to blood in their under-19 performers more readily than the well-established ones.
Diminishing fortunes
For example, only four Indians — Jaydev Unadkat (2010), Lokesh Rahul (2010), Sandeep Sharma (2010,12) and Sanju Samson (2014) — from the previous three editions have gone on to play for the senior national team, and only one of them, Rahul, has made any sort of impression. That said, some players take time to blossom. Besides Rabada, this past week belonged to another former under-19 player.
Manish Pandey had played alongside Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, which the Indian colts had won. While he subsequently became a prolific scorer in domestic cricket, and had a century to his name in the IPL, inconsistency meant his international debut came only last year, that too when India sent practically a reserve team to Zimbabwe. The reason is that India’s batting has been so packed and competitive in recent years that there is hardly any space to accommodate a newcomer. Which is why Rahul, despite two away centuries in fours Tests, often warms the bench. Which is also why Pandey took forever to break into the team. But these examples show that if you keep knocking at the door, you will break it down some day.
In India, while — or because — the emphasis has traditionally been on batting, it’s perhaps easier to make your mark as a pacer. And that is why Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, who are known to bowl upwards of 135 kph, will have their performances scrutinised closely. But past experiences will tell India not to jump the gun. Abu Nechim and Yo Mahesh were talked up after the 2006 Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, and Pradeep Sangwan was touted to be the next big left-arm thing in the country, but they never kept the promise. Unadkat played for India soon after the 2010 edition, but never looked like he belonged there. One reason could be that while 135-140 kph can get you wickets against young under-19 kids, it’s grossly inadequate at the senior level if it’s your only weapon. Rabada is fast as well as unerringly accurate in his line and length. And while Mustafizur isn’t quick, he is deceptive. A good pacer, then, is what India would wish for above all from this World Cup. Besides, of course, the title win — and to be a bit more greedy, another Kohli would be a welcome bonus.
Immediate gains aside, the Under-19 World Cup is a good benchmark to judge the health of cricket in a country in the medium-to-long run. New Zealand’s 2008 under-19 players formed the core of their 2015 World Cup finalist team. India, who won the 2000 edition, made the senior final in 2003. And three years after the win under Kohli in Malaysia, Team India became the World Champions at home. There is again a three-year gap between now and the next 50-over World Cup. Can 2016 be a stepping stone for 2019?
