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The Under-19 World Cup 2024 starts on January 19, and India will be looking to defend their title. The Men in Blue have won five Under-19 World Cups, more than any other nation. They have also won two of the last three, which makes them favorites to win a record sixth title this year.
Ireland will face the USA in the tournament opener at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein. India, who are in the same group as the Irish and the Americans, will kick off their tournament against Bangladesh on January 20 at the same venue.
On that note, let's look at five Indian players to watch out for in the Under-19 World Cup 2024 ft. Arshin Kulkarni.
#1 Arshin Kulkarni
Arshin Kulkarni is by far the most well-known name in the current Indian Under-19 squad. A fast-bowling all-rounder by trade, Kulkarni is known for his big hitting ability and can be considered in the similar mould of someone like Hardik Pandya.
Arshin Kulkarni was picked up by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the IPL 2024 auction. The 18-year-old has scored 206 runs at an average of 51.50 in his last five innings for India U-19. He also has a strike rate of 163.51 in five T20 innings.
#2 Musheer Khan
Musheer Khan and Arshin Kulkarni are the two all-rounders in the Indian Under-19 setup and will also be expected to perform regularly, given their track records. Musheer is the younger brother of Sarfaraz Khan, who is a consistent run-getter in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai.
Unlike Arshin, Musheer is a slow-left arm spinner. Despite still playing age-group cricket, Musheer has already played three Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai. He was the fourth-highest run scorer and the highest wicket taker in the U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy, showcasing his all-round ability.
#3 Aravelly Avanish
Aravelly Avanish was one of only two Indian Under-19 players who were picked up at the IPL 2024 auction, the other being Arshin Kulkarni. The wicketkeeper was snapped up by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which presents a great opportunity for him to learn from MS Dhoni.
The left-handed batter has been an underrated performer in the Indian Under-19 team, as he is often batting lower down the order. However, his 163 off just 93 balls for India A in the Quadrangular series a couple of months ago is enough to justify his selection on this list.
#4 Uday Saharan
Uday Saharan is the captain of the India Under-19 World Cup team. He is the oldest member of the squad and will be exactly 19 years and 97 days old when India play the first match of their tournament against Bangladesh.
He scored 74 off 104 balls against Australia Under-19 and 50 off 64 balls against Sri Lanka Under-19 in the two warmup games. Uday forms a solid top four for India Under-19, which includes Adarsh Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, and Musheer Khan.
#5 Adarsh Singh
Adarsh Singh has been the most prolific run-getter for India Under-19 over the last 12 months. He has scored 308 runs in six innings at an average of 77. The southpaw and Arshin Kulkarni could form a solid opening pair in the tournament.
In general, the Indian team looks quite top-heavy, with the bulk of runs being scored by the top four batters, which also include two players who are all-rounders. However, the two warm-up games have allowed players like Priyanshu Moliya to get some time out in the middle.
