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The Indian sporting fraternity has seen the emergence of many young turks who have impressed one and all with their feats. Their achievements has made many a feel hopeful and optimistic about the country’s future in various sports.
Here are 10 Indian teenagers who could become sporting greats in the future
1.Sarfaraz Khan(Cricket)
Sarfaraz Khan first burst onto the international scene as a 17-year-old at the 2014 ICC U19 Wold Cup and since then has gone from strength to strength. He was purchased for a sum of 50 lakhs by the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the 2015 IPL auctions and made an immediate impact, smashing a 20-ball 45 against the Rajasthan Royals in only his second match.
He was one of the stars at the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup, where he made 355 runs in 6 matches, that included 5 half-centuries to finish as the second highest run-getter behind Jack Burnham of England.
The right-hander once again showcased his skills in his IPL franchisee’s opening game of the 2016 season where he made a 20-ball 35 not out against the Sunrisers Hyderabad to help them reach an imposing total.
In recent times, several Under-19 players have made the transition into the senior squad and succeded. Sarfaraz too will hope to join that group soon.
2.Abhay Singh(Squash)
Many an Indian stalwart in squash have begun young before carrying that potential into the senior circuit. Abhay Singh could be the next Indian who could make the cut and succeed at the international level.
The 19-year-old has been a consistent performer in the junior circuit, having won the Delta Junior Open earlier this year, the Jodhpur Open, the Maharashtra State Open, the Jaipur Open and the Bengal Open last year in the Boys Under-19(U19) category.
Presently ranked Number 1 in the U19 rankings, Abhay will look to maintain his consistency and hopefully, make the cut into the senior team soon.
3.Siril Varma(Badminton)
Siril Varma came into the spotlight at the end of last year when he became the 1st Indian badminton player since Saina Nehwal in 2008 to enter the final of the World Junior Badminton Championships.
A few months later, he moved to the top of the World Junior Rankings and in January, showed that he was certainly one to look out for, when in his lone match in the Premier Badminton League, he impressed one-and-all with his play.
A product of the Pullela Gopichand academy, that has had the tradition of producing champions over the years, Varma will certainly look to carry that forward and bring laurels to the country in the future.
4.Udanta Singh(Football)
A product of the Tata Football Academy, Udanta Singh was picked by the Bengaluru FC franchise prior to the 2014/15 season. During the initial part of his career at the club, the 19-year-on was used as a substitute.
He became the youngest Indian to provide an assist in AFC competitions when he assisted Sunil Chhetri to score India’s winning goal against Maldives in the AFC Cup Group Stage.
He was part of the Indian squad that featured in the South Asian Games earlier this year and in the years to come, could play a much more important role in the wings for India.
5.Naina Jaiswal(Table Tennis)
It has been a good month for India in the sport of Table Tennis with 4 paddlers having made the cut to the Olympics. There is more to hope from the sport in the form of Hyderabad-born Naina Jaiswal.
The 16-year-old is presently the Number one ranked Junior player in India in the Under-15 category and won the first national ranking tournament on 3 consecutive occasions in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Jaiswal won the bronze in the Sub-Junior Nationals in 2010 and was the first Indian girl to be picked into an ITTF World Hopes team in 2011. The Table Tennis fraternity will be hoping that Jaiswal can carry this early promise and deliver at the senior level as well in the future.
6.SL Narayanan(Chess)
One of India’s rising stars on the chess circuit, SL Narayanan certainly provides the fraternity something to be hopeful about in the future.A late entrant into the sport, The 17-year-old clinched the National Junior title in the early parts of 2014 and within the space of 12 months, climbed the ladders very quickly, transitioning his way to become India’s 40th Grand Master.
He backed that effort with a third-place finish at the Philippine Open that helped him go beyond the 2500 rating. The early signs have been encouraging,whether he can keep this going will be the question to answer.
7.Akanksha Vora(Swimming)
The 2015 National Games that were held in Kerala saw the emergence of a new swimming sensation by the name of Akanksha Vora. The 18-year-old clinched 5 gold medals and a silver medal at the Games to announce herself on the national circuit.
The Indian swimming scene has in the past given some good performers, who have done well in various events. Akanksha will certainly hope to become the latest entrant into that group and hope to bring laurels for the country in swimming in the future.
8.Tajamul Islam(Kick Boxing)
The youngest member in this list is Tajimul Islam from Kashmir. All of 7 years old, the young girl is already a child martial arts sensation and will soon become the first Kashmiri to represent India at the World Kickboxing Championships.
In March earlier this earlier, she became the youngest gold medalist at the J&K Wushu Championships and then won yet another Gold at the National Kickboxing Championships in Delhi.
To say that she will carry India’s hopes in kickboxing in the future might be putting huge pressure on her but there is no doubting that she is definitely one to watch out for in the future.
9.Chitresh Tatha(Sailing)
India may not anything to boast about in their sailing history, but Chitresh Tatha could well someone that we could bank on in the sport in the future. The 14-year-old won the Asian Sailing Federation Youth Cup title earlier this month in the overall scheme of things and in the space of the next few months will be transitioning into the Laser 4.7 Men’s class.
Chitresh finished 6th at the 2014 Asian Games and will hope to keep up his consistency in the coming days.
10.Manavaditya Rathore(Shooting)
After senior Rathore had set the ball rolling with his Olympic silver in Athens, it seems like it is time for the junior to take over the mantle. The 17-year-old burst onto the spotlight in the Asian Shotgun Championships in 2014 where he won the GFold in the Junior Men’s Trap and then prior to that won the gold at the Junior Nationals.
How he progresses in the coming years will depend upon how consistent he will be and his progress will definitely be keenly followed by many in the shooting fraternity.
