As we eagerly anticipate India's opening match against Bangladesh at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, the spotlight is on the promising talents of India's U19 cricket team, particularly India’s U19 captain, Uday Pratap Saharan. Yash Dhull led the team in the last World Cup, and this time, all eyes are on Uday Pratap Saharan to lead the team to victory.


Originally from Ganganagar, Rajasthan, Uday embarked on his cricketing journey at the age of 14, relocating to Punjab with the ambition of making a significant impact in the sport. Over the past five years, he has ascended through the ranks, representing Punjab in the U-14, U-16, and U-19 categories. The middle-order batsman earned the captaincy after an outstanding performance in 2023 U19 Challengers Trophy in Guwahati, amassing an impressive 297 runs at an average of 99 in five matches while leading the India D team.


Uday's cricketing lineage is notable, as he is the son of an Ayurveda doctor and a former cricketer. Encouraged by his father, Uday transitioned from representing Fazilka to Bathinda, where the infrastructure provided by the Punjab Cricket Association played a pivotal role in honing his skills.


In a notable display of batting, Saharan played a half-century against Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup held in Dubai. His excellent form continued in the recent tri-nation Under-19s tournament involving South Africa and Afghanistan, where he scored an impressive 112 runs against the hosts, South Africa. Leading up to the World Cup, the number five batter showcased his skills by scoring 74 runs in a warm-up match against Australia. In the World Cup, India find themselves in group A alongside Bangladesh, Ireland and the USA, with their opening match against Bangladesh scheduled for January 20, 2024, in Bloemfontein.


As Uday Saharan leads the charge, India would aspire for another successful campaign in the U19 Cricket World Cup, showcasing the talent and potential of their emerging cricketers on the global stage


India squad for U19 Cricket World Cup 2024:


Uday Saharan (C), Saumy Kumar Pandey (VC), Arshin Kulkarni, Adarsh Singh, Rudra Mayur Patel, Sachin Dhas, Priyanshu Moliya, Musheer Khan, A Avanish Rao (WK), Murugan Abhishek, Innesh Mahajan (WK), Dhanush Gowda, Aaradhya Shukla, Raj Limbani, Naman Tiwari