I first became
aware of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup last summer. While staying on Jersey, I
found myself having breakfast in the same hotel dining room as the squads
representing Denmark, Scotland and Ireland, each vying for a qualifying place
in the New Zealand competition proper. Unfortunately I left before the Irish
clinched the deal but I made a mental note to follow their progress.
Six months
later, they predictably failed to win the tournament. Instead, and far more
expectedly, it was India who duly became the first nation to win four Under-19
World Cups. Was the result ever in doubt?! They won all six matches in the
tournament, taking Australia apart by eight wickets in the final, so skipper
and opener Prithvi Shaw thoroughly deserved to raise the trophy in
Christchurch.
The young Irishmen
can at least hold their heads up high, having defeated one of the eventual semi-finalists
Afghanistan at the group stage. Perhaps one or two will make it big in the
future, but I reckon it will be some of the Indian team who could forge
successful cricketing careers in the future. Manjot Kalra won the Player of the
Match in the final, thanks to a measured century, while team-mate Shubman Gill
was the most consistent scorer throughout the tournament. Amongst the bowlers,
I’m sure Rahul Dravid will also be extolling the virtues of his paceman from
Rajasthan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti who also shone in the field.
However, looking
back at previous Under-19 World Cup finalists, it’s interesting to note how few
bowlers went on to become global names.. Mushtaq Ahmed (1988), Josh Hazelwood
(2010), Graeme Swann (1998), Ravi Jadeja (2006 and 2008) and the emerging
whizz-kid Kagiso Rabada are exceptions to the rule. Admittedly this competition
has witnessed the launch of brilliant careers for Albie Morkel (2000), Trent
Boult and Tim Southee (both 2008) but they never performed in the final.
On the other
hand, there are numerous batsmen who have gone on to succeed at the very
highest senior level. Yuvraj Singh,
Sarfraz Ahmed, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Graeme Smith, a beardless Hashim
Amla and Babar Azam have all competed in the under-19 final, while the likes of
Atherton, Hussain, Cook and Root all starred for England en route to captaining
the senior side. However, it is Owais Shah who remains the only English player
to lift the cup. Future Test bowler Alan Mullally was a winner in 1988 but for
Australia, and both Jonathan Trott (South Africa, 2000) and Eoin Morgan
(Ireland, 2006) also made their respective marks for the nations of their
birth.
So why haven’t
the youth bowlers progressed at the same rate as batsmen? I guess it could be
part burnout, injuries, poor coaching or just that bowlers either peak early or
mature relatively slowly. I don’t know the answer. In 2016, Jack Burnham struck
three centuries for England, while Sam Curran and Mason Crane also caught the
eye. The latter two have been fast-tracked into the senior squad although it’s Tom Curran who seized his ODI opportunity
in Australia last month. Burnham’s time may yet come, but first he’ll have to
drop his stupid and career-damaging drug habit.
Elsewhere, I
fancy that Keagon Simmons (West Indies), Aussie captain Jason Sangha and the aforementioned
Indian trio will become internationally renowned within five years, provided suitable
first-team opportunities open up!
