U19 World Cup-winning captains from 2008 - Where are they now?

It is rightly said that the U19 World Cup sets the foundation stone for the players who will set the standards in the coming years. Lending in favour of this argument is the conspicuous fact that the world cricket today is entirely dominated by the players who led their troops in U19 World Cup.

Be it the likes of cricket heavyweights Faf Du Plessis, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith or Joe Root, the international career of all of these cricketing stalwarts took off from Under-19 World Cup. Albeit none of these current superstars of the game tasted the sweet victory in their respective World Cups but went on to become the torchbearers of the discipline.

On that note, this article sheds light upon the cricketing journey of all the winning captains from 2008 who helped their team to cross the line of triumph with sheer passion and endeavour. So without any further ado, let’s get started.

Here’s the list:

1. 2008- Virat Kohli (India)

Ever since he has donned the national jersey, his desire to showcase that he is the best in the business has never faced hindrances. Such was the promising intention when he led his troops in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. The then youngster proved his mettle in the final game of the tournament. Hence, India won against South Africa by 12 runs (D/L) and went on to clinch the coveted trophy.

Due to his outstanding performances, he broke into the Indian cricket team very soon. Little did the Delhi-boy know then, that future has a lot in store for him, the 19-year old started breaking records after records. From bagging 37 Man of the Match records to scoring 70 centuries in only 245 matches, Virat Kohli is synonymous to grit and perseverance in the true sense of the term.

Virat Kohli will be seen in action for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the delayed edition of the 13th IPL. Given the zeal and belligerence which the king renders to the team, cricketing pundits believe that his side can finish the IPL cup drought this season.

2. 2010- Mitchell Marsh (Australia)

Leading by example, Western Australia stood strength to strength to lead the Australian colts to victory in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup. The stroke player amassed 201 runs in the high-voltage tournament single-handedly. Setting the stage of finals on fire, the batsman thrashed 97 odd runs against a strong looking Sri Lankan side piloting his team to victory.

Later, his incredible performance opened the window of his International career. The southpaw made his debut in the international cricket for Australian against South Africa in 2011. Moreover, the Cricket Australia recently awarded the 8 No. jersey a central contract ahead of the 2020-21 season.

Sunrisers Hyderabad inked a contract of INR 2 crores. Eventually, all eyes are on Marsh as the world waits to see what this cricketing supernova dishes out for his eternal fans.

3. 2012- Unmukt Chand (India)

The right-handed batsman became the second Delhi cricketer to clinch the Under-19 trophy after Virat Kohli. Also, he became the first captain in the world to win the title in Australia.

However, the story of his cricketing life has been a bit difficult. Due to poor performances in the domestic cricket, he could not be handed with the Indian cricket team cap. The cricketing hero captained the India ‘A’ side in 2016. However, fate had written a different script for him.

Accepting the reality in the truest form, Unmukt Chand still aims to make a debut into the senior team. Currently, he is captaining Uttarakhand cricket team as he has received a No Objection Certificate from Delhi Cricket Association.

4. 2014- Aiden Markram (South Africa)

Scoring 66 not-out against Pakistan in the finals of 2014 Under 19 Cricket World Cup in Abu Dhabi, Markram engineered a well-crafted knock which left the cricketing world awestruck. Possessing a nerve-of-steel, he staged his arrival in the International cricket in style.

Cricket South Africa trusted the budding cricketer and he made his Test and ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2017. Moreover, the southpaw was assigned the role of captainship against India in the ODI and T20 series in 2018 as the erstwhile captain Faf Du Plessis was forced to rule out due to finger injury.

The 25-year-old last appeared in the whites playing against England in December 2019. However, he faced a major setback in the middle of the series as he fractured his fingers. Later, he had to withdraw from the series owing to the seriousness of the injury.

5. 2016- Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies)

In what melted the hearts of all the carideans after West indies etched its name as the title-holders of the World cup is the fact that it earned the glory for the first time. The team under the leadership of Shimron Hetmyer played their roles to perfection till the end. He scored two 50’s and salvaged the team to secure the birth in the finals.

The 23-year-old signed a red-ball contract with Cricket West Indies for 2018-19. Hetmyer was named in the 15-member squad for their series in Pakistan. Although, he got the opportunity in Playing-11 against New-Zealand in December 2017.

Currently, the power-hitter is burning his midnight oil in UAE for the IPL. He will be a player to look out for in this delayed season of the cash-rich tournament. Due to his massive six-hitting ability and performing at pressure situations, Delhi Capitals traded in the West-Indies swashbuckler.

6. 2018- Prithvi Shaw (India)

Carrying truckloads of expectation is a habit for any Indian cricketer who represents the country. To stand up to those expectations is what differentiates between a normal and a superhuman. Adding extra to Prithvi’s ordinary was the mentor of the team, Rahul Dravid. The Mumbaikar showcases the best skill-set and a rare cricketing brain whenever he walks down the dressing room.

He scored the highest runs in the history of Under-19 cricket as far as Indian captains are concerned. Prithvi Shaw played an instrumental role in guiding India to get their hands on the silverware. The 20-year old amassed 261 runs in 6 matches at an incredible average of 65.

Later, he went on to score a century in debut for the Indian cricket team against West Indies in 2018. Currently, the batsman is sweating out hard for Delhi Capitals in the UAE. He will be a key player of the team and a lot of team’s fate depends upon how he performs.

7. 2020- Akbar Ali (Bangladesh)

The junior Men in Green won the first ICC title in the country’s cricketing history. Under the guidance of Akbar Ali won the Under-19 World Cup outplaying the heavyweight Indian side in the finals. In the final, they hammered India by three wickets, via the DLS method to win their first-ever ICC title.

He scored an unbeaten 43 odd runs in the finals keeping his nerves calm. Renowned as the ‘great’ Akbar Ali in Bangladesh ever since he scripted the milestone for the team, he has been waiting for the call to the national team.

The Bangladesh cricket side is yet to resume its cricketing journey as the world remains in the midst of the pandemic. It will be seen whether Akbar Ali gets an opportunity on the national side in the upcoming years.