IND U-19 vs AUS U-19: India takes on Australia in final Youth Test with series sweep in sight

India U-19 cricket team will take on Australia U-19 in the second and final Youth Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Led by leg-spinner Mohamed Enaan, who ended up with nine wickets, Indian bowlers will look to continue to fire. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/The Hindu

After registering a thrilling two-wicket win in the first game, the India U-19 cricket team will look to close out on a high as it faces Australia U-19 in the second and final Youth Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. 

Ahead of the first Test, India bulldozed Australia 3-0 in the ODI series, including two dominant wins by seven and nine wickets in the first and second matches, respectively. 

However, with just four out of the 11 players carried over from the ODI series, the Indian youngsters’ foray into the longest format was not without cause for concern. 

On a flat Chepauk pitch, Australia raced to 293 runs in just over two sessions on the first day to put India under pressure. In reply, India started positively with its openers — Vihaan Malhotra and Vaibhav Suryavanshi — putting together a solid 100-run opening stand.

Thirteen-year-old Suryavanshi showcased his stroke-making calibre on the second day as well and went on to become the youngest-ever centurion in Youth Tests. He was dismissed for a 62-ball 104. However, his exploits were overshadowed by a subpar showing from the rest of the batters. 

India was troubled the most by Aussie leg spinner Vishwa Ramkumar, who picked seven wickets across two innings. Despite having five left-handers in its arsenal, the home side conceded regular wickets to the 18-year-old, Indian-origin bowler.

However, India does not have to look far for answers. Last game’s player of the match, Nikhil Kumar, who used his feet to counter everything that Ramkumar threw his way, will be in the spotlight again. He proved his mettle in this year’s Cooch Behar Trophy, where he amassed 275 runs in five matches at an average of 46.37. 

On the bowling front, India is on stabler grounds. Led by leg-spinner Mohamed Enaan, who ended up with nine wickets, Indian bowlers will look to continue to fire.

Despite being thrust into unacclimatised conditions, Australia largely held its ground and even managed to stretch India to an extent.

The only aspect where it missed the mark in the first match was its immature batting approach. Apart from its opener, Riley Kingsell, who scored 53 and 48 in two innings, respectively, none of the other batters could trouble the bowlers. They failed to convert their 20s and 30s into anything concrete and will reassess their strategies against Indian bowlers and will eye a different result on Monday.

Both India and Australia missed the opportunity to make last-minute adjustments to their game plans as their final practice sessions were called off. The decision came after traffic congestion affected nearly half the city due to an Indian Air Force air show at Marina Beach, located just minutes from the stadium.