5 Takeaways for team India in ACC U19 Asia Cup

The ACC U19 Asia Cup concluded and India were the deserving champions of the tournament. India secured their third ACC U19 Title in perhaps the most unusual of circumstances, to say the least. The 34-run win was concluded when Yash Thakur ran out Praveen Jayawickrama off a no-ball. The umpire raised his hand as the curtains were brought down on what was certainly an impressive tournament, to say the least.

Undoubtedly, when seen at a broader scale, the Indian team were the deserving champions. They remained unbeaten in the series and never let any opposition get close to them. A thoroughly clinical display saw them come out triumphant in the end and lift the trophy. The campaign started with India U19 making a mockery of the Malaysian side. Bowling them out for a paltry 54 showed the bowling prowess of the unit. A win over Nepal U19 followed by an outright batting display against Sri Lanka U19 followed.

The team then had a convincing win in the semi-finals against the spirited Afghans. To cap off the wonderful series, it was a jubilant win over Sri Lanka U19 again in the finals. The series was a spectacular one for the team and a consequence of it, there were many takeaways for the unit. Here are the 5 key takeaways for Team India in the ACC U19 Asia Cup that looks like a precursor for a bright future:

1. Himanshu Rana impresses with the bat

Indian opener Himanshu Rana was rightly named the Player of the Tournament. His efforts with the bat at the top order set the tone for India’s stable batting on most occasions. Having started off in a mild fashion, the swashbuckling opener peaked at the right time. He had reserved his best for the last two games. A brilliant 130 against the Afghanistan U19 saw India post a mammoth 294 on the board.

He continued on the merry run in the finals against Sri Lanka U19 where he struck a vital 71. He emerged as the leading run-getter of the tournament with 283 runs to his name in 5 matches at an average of 56.60. With the senior Indian team often being in selection conundrums for the opening slot, Rana has served a good case for himself as he looks like one for the future.

2. Captain leads from the front

The Indian captain Abhishek Sharma was not only spot on with his captaincy but also with his individual brilliance. The young all-rounder made his skills do the talking. He was the man who grabbed final for his team. Sharma scored a gritty 29 in the middle order and then backed it up with figures of 4/37 to be named Man of the Match. Unlike the other captains in the tournament, Sharma’s leadership skills were marked by some brave decisions.

In addition to that, he did not shy away from setting aggressive fields as against most of his counterparts. The skipper finished with 154 runs to his name at an average close to 31 with a top score of 59. He scalped 8 wickets with the ball at an average just over 18. He surely emerged as a good leader prospect for the future.

3. The Wall stands strong

Rahul Dravid shouldered the responsibility of Indian batting for almost a decade and a half. Now, the humble man is busy shaping the ones for the future. Dravid successfully coached the India U19 team to the tournament victory. This was not the first occasion when he tasted success with the young colts.

He was involved with the U19 team that finished as the runner up of the ICC U19 World Cup earlier this year. He has been prolific as a guide for the India A teams on countless occasions. It is safe to say that Indian young camp is in safe hands for the long run.

4. Chahar, Thakur make the ball do the talking

Bowlers Yash Thakur and Rahul Chahar were the top two wicket takers for India U19 in the tournament. The Rajasthan leggie Chahar managed to top the list of wicket takers in the tournament with 10 wickets to his name. The most impressive part of his efforts was his economy rate. He bowled with an economy of as low as 2.67 – the best for any bowler in the top 10 wicket takers in the tournament.

He was the only bowler to bag five-wicket haul in the U19 Asia Cup this year. Madhya Pradesh pacer Yash Thakur was not far behind either. He bagged 9 wickets in 5 matches and was clinical up front. Barring the finals, he was economical throughout the series and averaged under 20 with the ball.

5. Indian divestiture in great hands

The U19 level has always been a breeding ground for young cricketers. Particularly for India, when seen at a microscopic level, it has unearthed some of rare talents. The current Test skipper Virat Kohli is a proud example of it. Players like Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja and many more have emerged from the empire of U19 cricket.

Players like Prithvi Shaw who has been a child prodigy and Shubham Gill have shown just the right kind of approach and temperament in their game. It is definitely a promising sign for Indian cricket that players as young as 17 years old play the game with such professionalism and commitment.