Taming Oz in their own den a significant achievement

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There should be no more carping at the BCCI just for the heck of it. That pastime should no more be in fashion. The Under-19 team’s win in the World Cup would suggest that the board has got many things right with regard to preparing teams.

They are given the best by way of facilities and coaches and mental conditioning experts too to strengthen the preparation process. How they go on to perform is beyond the board’s control.
In winning the junior World Cup for the third time what the youngsters have proved is there is plenty of talent in the land. Also, there is a system to spot talent and nurse it and ease the path to national and international competition. In going to Australia and beating their best youngsters on their own soil is an awesome achievement by Unmukt Chand’s lads. Considering the difficulties the seniors have experienced in winning anything abroad, except in the Caribbean, this win in away conditions makes it very creditable.
What happens from here to the players will be of their own making. There will be plenty of godfathers stepping up to get them IPL contracts and all sorts of financial inducements that will make them rich but whether they graduate to be the best in their career is in their hands. There is already talk that the youngsters should not be spoilt with money too soon. However, the creme de la crème look outstanding and ready to step up to play at the highest level. As Ian Chappell pointed out, there are a couple of youngsters who should be inducted straightaway in international cricket.
The Brisbane pitches were not of the fiery brands more famously available at the ‘Gabba and still held out enough encouragement for all types of bowlers. While the number of centuries (15) suggests that batsmen mature even more quickly, the pace bowlers were equally impressive while the spin bowling of Harmeet Singh is being spoken of in terms of his being a Bishen Bedi who in his days used to be called the Wilfred Rhodes of India.
The senior Test team may have won to break a sequence of eight defeats abroad while adding to the two wins and a scores-equal draw against the West Indies at home in between. But the feeling persisted that on the very same Sunday the lads were handling a much more difficult challenge Down Under. To win in a chase on a sporting pitch and do it with the measured calm of Unmukt represented the height of achievement.
Comparisons to Dhoni sprang up immediately, and predictably so. While it’s too soon to speak in such terms, the fact remains that the young captain had the same look of determination in a chase as the senior pro in the World Cup final last year. There was a show of attitude that was awesome. And the felicity as well to produce the big strokes at will to ease the pressures of an asking rate that kept bobbing up each time the lesser Smit Patel had difficulty in getting the ball away.
The number of times the team came through test after test proves their mettle. This was no tournament in which any team won all their matches. In fact, India began with a defeat at the hands of the West Indies and won a few thrillers en route to taking the trophy.
This proves their resilience, which is what gives us great hope for the future. It is a long road from here to translating promiscuous talent into consistent performances at the highest level over years. The indisputable fact is the lads have started very well.