U-19 cricket has come a long way since its inception: Senthilnathan

By the looks of them, the sides are being put up in luxurious hotels that offer five-star accommodation. Players are seen shuttling between venues in high-end buses, which ensure tire-free journeys. As far as off-field activities are concerned, the biennial tournament seems to have come a long way since the inaugural edition in Australia in 1988.

The junior national team, which had boarded the plane Down Under back then, had to make do with the limited resources available. M Senthilnathan, India’s first-ever U-19 WC (the then Youth WC) captain, revealed the members were asked to stay at inns in South Australia since much money wasn’t involved those days.

“The event was held in two states and the Indian players stayed with local families in their houses. But, my host had a hotel and he made arrangements for a room there. It was a good cultural change for the boys,” Senthilnathan, who is currently the chief of the MRF Pace Foundation here, told DT Next.

India, the most successful unit in the global event with four titles (2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018), shockingly failed to qualify for the semi-finals first time out. The Asian country won just three of its seven round-robin fixtures, taking the sixth spot in the eight-team standings.

Talking about the experience, Senthilnathan, the present Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Senior Selection Committee recalled, “We were a bit unlucky with injuries. I pulled my hamstring in the opening game against England and had to sit out for a couple of matches that we lost. Pravin Amre and Rajagopalan Shyamsunder also had issues.”

The event had given the audience a glimpse of modern-day legends Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Brian Lara (West Indies) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) and the 50-year-old termed the experience ‘great’ although India didn’t make it to the knockout stages.

Senthilnathan felt most countries, including India, have started to lay a lot of emphasis on Under-19 cricket as it serves as a feeder for the senior team. “If a nation can spot two or three good talent every year, it will be great for its senior set-up,” he opined.

“Let us take India for example. We have a lot of talent here. Guys like Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed and Washington Sundar (from the recent U-19 WCs) have got to the next level. One guy who I would say has lost out is Unmukt Chand, who captained the side to victory in 2012,” added Senthilnathan.