With an eye on their 5th title, India will square off against England in the final of the U-19 World Cup on Saturday (February 5). India have always been strong title contender and their success in the ICC event doesn’t surprise many. Over the years, India has enjoyed much success in the tournament, and this time, they are eyeing their 5th title.
Skipper Yash Dhull will look to emulate Virat Kohli, Unmukt Chand, Prithvi Shaw and Mohammad Kaif when he leads his side in the final. As the fans await the start of the final, here’s a look at India’s past U-19 World Cup-winning captains –
Virat Kohli
The 2nd captain to lead the junior team to the title glory, Kohli made it to the national team few months after the ICC events and became a regular member of the white-ball teams just a couple of years later. In 2011, he made his Test debut against West Indies and after early struggles, he cemented his spot in the red-ball team too.
A former national skipper now, Kohli is India’s most successful Test captain and the backbone of Team India across formats. Kohli interacted with the members of the U-19 team 2 days before the final.
Unmukt Chand
Unmukt Chand captained the junior team to a title win in 2012. The former captain led the side from the front and scored an unbeaten 111 off 130 in the chase to the target of 226. Chand made it to the ‘A’ team even before the final and led the side for a long period.
In 2021, Unmukt retired from Indin cricket and has moved to the USA. The opening batsman will be available for selection for the USA cricket team in 2024. Interestingly, the 9th edition of the T20 World Cup will be played in USA and West Indies.
Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw was already a household name even before the U-19 World Cup and had owned quite a few records in domestic cricket. The opening batsman was hailed as the next big thing after his consistent performances in domestic cricket and his progression to the senior team months after the ICC event didn’t surprise many.
Even though Shaw isn’t part of the national team, he remains in contention and is one of the players who can serve the national team for a long period.
Mohammad Kaif
The first captain to lead the U-19 team to title glory, Mohammad Kaif is now a part-time commentator and coach. He has worked with Gujarat Lions and is now associated with Delhi Capitals.
Once a regular member of the national team, Kaif played 125 ODIs and 13 Tests. He was handed his debut call right after the World Cup and played his maiden Test in March 2000. The final of the WC was played in January 2000.
After being away from the national team for 7 years, Kaif made it to India A side in 2013 but couldn’t make his return to Team India. He played IPL for Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Punjab Kings.
