U-19 squad for Sri Lanka tri-series announced

Yogesh Sharma is the only new addition to the 18-member Indian Under-19 squad, which is scheduled to play in a tri-series in Sri Lanka from December 2 to 21. Ricky Bhui, who led the India team on Sunday to U-19 tri-series title by beating Bangladesh in the final, will continue to captain the side in next month’s tri-series as well, also involving England.

The Lankan tour will be the colts’ second International assignment ahead of the U-19 World Cup, to be held in Bangladesh from January 22-February 14.

Yogesh Sharma is the only new addition to the 18-member Indian Under-19 squad, which is scheduled to play in a tri-series in Sri Lanka from December 2 to 21.

Ricky Bhui, who led the India team on Sunday to U-19 tri-series title by beating Bangladesh in the final, will continue to captain the side in next month’s tri-series as well, also involving England.

The junior selectors have left out Pradeep Pramanik, Shubham Nayak, Izhan Sayeed from the team that won the title against Bangladesh.

There are three experienced players in the squad — Bhui, Sarfaraz Khan and Avesh Khan — all of whom played the 2014 World Cup in Dubai.

Delhi left-hander and opening batsman, Rishabh Pant, who topped the chart with 282 runs from four matches, will be India’s batting mainstay.

Elegant Chennai batsman Washington Sundar will be another batsman to look out for.

Attacking batsman Sarfaraz, who struck a 59 not out from 27 balls which got him the man-of-the-match award in India’s win in the final, will be a key player.

Lower down the order, the likes of Virat Singh, Ishan Kishan, Anmolpreet Singh and Amandeep Khare are expected to take charge.

Indore pacer Avesh will lead the pace battery, which will also have the left-arm duo of Kanishk Seth and Khaleel Ahmed along with utility seamer Shubham Mavi.

The spin department has the likes of left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar, leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, all-rounder Mahipal Lomror and even Washington can come in handy with his offbreaks.

The Lankan tour will be the colts’ second International assignment ahead of the U-19 World Cup, to be held in Bangladesh from January 22-February 14.

The squad: Ricky Bhui (c), Rishabh Pant, Yogesh Sharma, Kanishk Seth, Amandeep Khare, Mayank Dagar, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Virat Singh, Rahul Batham, Anmolpreet Singh, Mahipal Lomror, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, Washington Sundar, Sarfaraz Khan, Zeeshan Ansari, Shubham Mavi, Himanshu Rana.