The Indian team is gearing up for the semi-final clash against Australia in the U-19 World Cup, while the mega auctions for the Indian Premier League (IPL) are around the corner. In the pre-match press conference captain Yash Dhull insisted that the team is focused on the current tournament and not on the IPL auctions that take place in mid-February. He was also full of praise for National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman, who is acting as an unofficial mentor of the side.
Dhull and company eye IPL contracts
“IPL auction is there and I am trying to focus on the present, whatever has to happen will happen and if I keep my focus on the game and do well, it will only be beneficial for me going forward,” Dhull said while spoke in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The stars of the U-19 team will be aware of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions. Players like Dhull, Vicky Ostwal will certainly be on the radars of some franchises as they will be good options with low prices. Ravichandran Ashwin recently quoted about Rajvardhan Hangargekar, who he thinks will be attracting plenty of bidders in the auctions in Bangalore.
The U-19 team has produced some of the big stars in IPL in recent years, not any bigger than former India captain Virat Kohli. Like Dhull, Kohli also captained the Indian U-19 team in the 2008 edition and led them to win, so expectations will be high from the current crop of Indian players.
Plan for success
“The Australian bowling attack is a normal one and we focus on building partnerships as soon as we lose quick wickets. Our focus then shifts towards building partnerships so that we could score more in death overs,” Dhull quoted on the plan for the semi-final.
The skipper was then asked about the role of Laxman, who has been in frequent touch with the boys. The former India player has been serving as an unofficial mentor to the U-19 team, guiding and giving them necessary instructions. He also highlighted Laxman's influence in the team camp.
"Laxman sir shares his experience with us which is very crucial for upcoming games and he has a very important role in our camp.
"It wasn't difficult as VVS Laxman sir used to call us to guide us. So it wasn't tough and we were focused towards the Bangladesh match. We will play with a positive mind and set the target according to the wicket tomorrow,” Dhull asserted.
