2018 Under-19 World Cup: India vs Australia,  5 talking points

With all eyes focussed on Virat Kohli’s bizarre team selections ahead of the second Test against South Africa, yet another Indian squad began their path towards super-stardom in silent earnest. Led by talented youngster Prithvi Shaw, the Under-19 Indian team began their World Cup campaign against Australia at Mount Maunganui.

The Group B encounter between the former champion sides was termed as one of the biggest matches of the group stages and by the end, India had shown their all-round mettle to emerge victorious by a convincing margin of 100 runs.

Here are the five talking points from the match.

A resolute opening wicket partnership for India

It was always imperative to start the tournament on a dominant note and the Indian opening duo of Prithvi Shaw and Manjot Kalra were able to do just that. The openers put up 180 runs for the first wicket in 29.4 overs, with both batsmen scoring fifties.

Kalra, in particular, was a treat to watch in the innings with his powerful shots and bottom hand play; punching the leg-cutters by Austin Waugh down the ground and perfectly carving out the back-of-a-length deliveries by Jonathan Merlo with superb timing and placements. His knock included 12 fours and one majestic six and he missed out on a well-deserved hundred when he was dismissed off a brilliant catch by Jason Sangha.

In-form Shaw too was not far behind in wowing the paltry spectators with his potential, by checking the drives and ably handling the full tosses and the good length deliveries. By reminding the on-air commentators of Sachin Tendulkar, the youngster gave adequate glimpses of his talent and along with his partner, succeeded in laying the foundation for a challenging total. His knock included eight hits to the boundary along with two sixes.

Abhishek Sharma’s cameo and Shubman Gill’s knock takes India to 328

Vice-captain Shubman Gill carried on with his rich domestic form, which had seen him become the fourth youngest player from Punjab to score a Ranji hundred, in the first encounter of the under-19 World Cup. Coming in after the dismissal of Shaw, he took time settling in but soon found his attacking best, scoring 63 runs in just 54 deliveries, with six fours and one maximum.

His first boundary, an outside-off delivery that turned in by Param Uppal was driven through extra cover, carrying on the excellent work that had been done by the openers and by the time he was dismissed, India were well on track to cross the 300-mark figure.

To further dent the confidence of the awry Australian bowlers, Abhishek Sharma, batting at number six, scored a whirlwind 23 in just eight deliveries, ripping apart Austin Waugh and Jack Edwards for a boundary and a six, apiece. The handy knock not only swayed the momentum in the final overs towards the Indian side, but also capped off an already miserable day for the Aussie bowlers.

The un-Australian fielding efforts on display

Think Australian cricket and along with the mighty hard-hitting batsmen and the menacing pace bowlers, you will imagine a squad that is one of the fittest and the most accurate fielding units in the cricketing world.

However, breaking the norm, not one, not two, but three catches were sent sailing, with Lloyd Pope dropping two of the three missed chances.

In the 42nd over, Himanshu Rana fed Pope with a sitter, not being able to garner the elevation that he would have wanted off a good length ball bowled by Will Sutherland. The fielder at mid-off had nestled it but before he knew it, the ball popped out, much to the angst of captain Sangha.

Two overs later, he again was in the midst of a tangle, dropping Rana at fine leg. Three overs hence, Gill too was given a reprieve by the mid-wicket man and one could only stare with bewilderment at the fielding display on offer.

Even their ground fielding was hardly inspiring, with the throws hardly reaching the stumps and on two occasions, Shaw could have been back in the pavilion run-out, but the Aussies had different ideas.

How fast can Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti bowl? In excess of 140kmph consistently!

It is no secret. Everyone loves the sight of a fast bowler tearing down his run-up with the cherry in hand at a pace that sends shivers down the batsmen’s spine. For an Indian supporter, the sight is even more special. Having grown up in an era of bowler break-downs and medium pace bowling, the dream of having players who could constantly touch the figures of 140kmph was a fair one indeed.

In the land of New Zealand, two young bowlers Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi left all spell-bound and excited by their performance in their first match against Australia. With Mavi troubling the opponents with speeds ranging between 142 to 144kmph and his fast bowling partner Nagarkoti touching speeds of 145kmph consistently, with one even scalping the 147kmph needle, it brought back happy smiles in India as suddenly one realised that the pool of fast bowlers in the country does not look as bleak as it was even a few years ago.

The untimely injury to Ishan Porel

With 24 runs conceded in 4.1 overs, Bengal pacer Ishan Porel was having anything but a good day on the field, made worse by an unfortunate injury that saw him wobbling off in the tenth over of the Australian innings. The lanky bowler seemed to have twisted his ankle whilst landing, which created a huge impact on the foot.

As the physio came running out and the bowler hobbled off, one could not miss the unfortunate fate that befell Porel, in a tournament that could have changed his life. Hopefully it is nothing serious, and he too can return full-fledged to bounce out the opponents along with his bowling partners Nagarkoti and Mavi.