"Rewards come later for a cricketer" - Kapil Dev interacts with U-19 World Cup stalwarts Raj Angad Bawa and Harnoor Singh 

Legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev had some words of wisdom for young stars Raj Angad Bawa and Harnoor Singh. The two members from the U-19 World Cup-winning squad were felicitated by the Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA) in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Raj Angad Bawa was one of the players to watch out for and even bagged the player of the match award in the final against England following a five-wicket haul and a valuable cameo.

The all-rounder was named in the team of the tournament after scoring 252 runs and scalping 9 wickets. Harnoor Singh, on the other hand, recorded a century in the team's opening fixture and compiled 140 runs in the tournament.

Opining that the duo should strive for perfection, Kapil Dev said during the ceremony:

“Rewards come later for a cricketer. The biggest thing for a cricketer is the motivation to perform better and excel in the long run. One will get respect only till the performance keeps coming and that should be your goal."

He added:

I have seen the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli. Both matched each other in terms of talent but Kambli went astray. So your motivation should be to aim for perfection and keep working for that.”

Following their success at the U-19 World Cup in the West Indies, the youngsters made their first-class debut in the ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign. Playing for the Chandigarh state team led by Manan Vohra, Harnoor Singh scored 119 runs across 4 innings while Raj Bawa struck with his very first delivery in first class cricket.

"To be picked up at such a price only motivates more" - Raj Bawa

The exploits in the Caribbean also helped Raj Bawa land an IPL contract. The all-rounder was in high-demand and was roped in by the Punjab Kings for ₹2 crore. Harnoor Singh, on the other hand, went unsold at the two-day IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

The all-rounder admitted he expected to go unsold at the auction. He said:

“When Harnoor went unsold, I thought the same will happen with me. To be picked up at such a price only motivates me as I believe that the price was for my past performances. Now I have to prove my worth for the team. Taking my maiden first class wicket in Ranji Trophy last month also means a lot for me. I am looking to spend time under coach Anil Kumble sir and players like Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal and Liam Livingstone.”

The 19-year-old has been an ardent fan of the Punjab franchise, admiring the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Yuvraj Singh. He was sought after by the likes of Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad before Punjab Kings made the winning bid.