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The 14th edition of the ICC Under-19 World Cup is scheduled to start on January 14 (Friday) and the hosts West Indies will face Australia in the inaugural match of the World Cup at Providence Park in Guyana. Yash Dhull-led India will be aiming for a fifth title while another mighty challenger from Asia will be Bangladesh who will try to defend their title.
Ahead of the first encounter, India U-19 coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar spoke about the current norms and the present bio-bubble situation. For the cricketers, apart from the opponents, another thing that has to be considered is bio bubbles in Covid-19 times. India U-19 coach, Kanitkar thinks that it is indeed a challenge but this is also the norm for the last couple of years.
"It is a challenge but what we need to realise that this is the norm now for the last couple of years, and some more time in the future. This is reality now. We have to find things to do by staying in the bubble. The boys will be able to learn from this as after the World Cup, they may need to be in bubbles for various other teams," Kanitkar said during a virtual press conference on Thursday (January 13).
First match against South Africa
Indian team will start their campaign against South Africa on January 15 (Saturday). India find themselves in Group B along with South Africa, Ireland and Uganda.
In the warm-up games against West indies and Australia, India secured victories. The ‘Men in Blue’ had defeated West Indies by 108 runs and in the second warm-up game they clinched a comfortable victory against Australia by 9 wickets.
Advantages of Asia Cup
The Indian U-19 team had won the recently concluded the U-19 Asia Cup, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. According to Kanitkar that win was important because it helped to build the team.
"The Asia cup was important because we hadn't played together as a team ever before, with this set of players. So it was good in terms of team building ahead of the World Cup," said Kanitkar.
The expectations will be a lot from the Indian team as they will start as the favourites. India are the most successful team in the history of the event as they have lifted the U-19 World Cup four times- 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018. They have been runners-up thrice as well- 2006, 2016 and 2020 and are biding for a fourth consecutive final.
Regarding the pressure factor and expectations, coach Kanitkar said that every World Cup should be considered as a fresh start.
“There is a huge legacy because, in the past tournaments, the Indian team has done well. But you need to understand every World Cup has a set of new guys and you are starting fresh. But what we try to do is not think too far ahead. We are not thinking about IPL auctions, Ranji Trophy, that comes later. Currently, our job is to take it as it comes and not think too far into the future,” the 61-year-old included.
