ICC U-19 World Cup 2020: Five Indian players to watch out for

The India U-19 team goes into the 2020 World Cup as the defending champion, attempting to build on its four World Cup victories. India begins its campaign against Sri Lanka before facing debutant Japan, and New Zealand.

SCHEDULE| ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020: Full schedule, fixtures, teams, groups, date, timings and venues

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Jaiswal had a prolific domestic season with the bat, making 779 runs in 13 List-A innings including a 203 in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match for Mumbai. The U-19 World Cup is an opportunity for Jaiswal to dominate age-group cricket one final time before moving to full-time senior cricket starting with the IPL 2020 season with Rajasthan Royals, which bought him for Rs 2.4 crore at the auction last year.

FILE PHOTO: Yashasvi Jaiswal will play in the IPL for the first time.   -  Sudhakara Jain

Dhruv Jurel

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Jurel is India’s wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman. He has had a good run of scores leading up to the World Cup, having made 101 in the U-19 Quadrangular Series final against South Africa after a 65 against the same opposition a week earlier. Batting at the crucial No. 5 position, Jurel will sometimes be the sheet-anchor and the aggressor, and if the top order doesn’t fire, his form will be integral to India's chances of winning the trophy.

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Priyam Garg

Priyam Garg: New challenge ahead.   -  Getty Images

The India U-19 captain has the opportunity to emulate Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli, Unmukt Chand, and Prithvi Shaw by winning the title. The fact that Garg has played alongside former India captain Suresh Raina and Shivam Mavi, a member of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning squad, for Uttar Pradesh should stand him in good stead. Batting at Nos. 3 and 4, Garg has scored runs across formats at the domestic level and goes into the tournament with a century and a half-century, both against South Africa U-19.

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Atharva Ankolekar

Atharva Ankolekar took a five-for in the under-19 Asia Cup final, helping India win a low-scoring match.   -  Asian Cricket Council

A left-arm orthodox spinner, Ankolekar has been potent with the ball in the months leading up to the World Cup. He began the spree with a match-winning five for 28 against Bangladesh, helping India win the U-19 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, and has taken 15 wickets at an average of 11.80 in the next seven matches, going wicket-less only once. That he has continued taking wickets in South African conditions normally conducive to seam bowling should help his confidence.

Ravi Bishnoi

A leg-break bowler, Bishnoi is likely to be one of the two spinners in India’s playing XI. He has been among the wickets in the U-19 bilateral and quadrangular series in South Africa, while the IPL contract with Kings XI Punjab should further whet his appetite for wickets.