Indian youngsters eager to shine

It's considered the stepping stone for the stars of the future and 16 teams, including three-time champions India, would be aiming to discover their Virat Kohlis and Steve Smiths when the ICC Under-19 World Cup starts here on Saturday.

From Kohli to Smith, many modern-day greats have sparkled in the biennial event, which has gained significance with every passing edition.

The event begins with Pakistan taking on Afghanistan in the opening match followed by New Zealand's match against reigning champions West Indies.

India, eager to prove themselves after their disastrous showing in the Asia Cup, open their campaign against Australia at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.  

"We never played this tournament in my day. After 1988 they didn't hold the tournament for 10 years, so I've no exposure to playing and being part of this tournament," said Indian coach Rahul Dravid. "I tell a lot of these boys that I think it's a terrific opportunity for them to be a part of this tournament."

A countless number of U-19 players have gone on to represent their countries at the highest level. Each edition unearths oodles of talent and makes them overnight stars, be it Rishabh Pant or Alzaari Joseph from the previous edition in 2016 when three-time champions India lost the final to the West Indies.

This edition too has created high expectations with a selected bunch already proving themselves at the first-class level.

The likes of India captain Prithvi Shaw, teammate Shubham Gill, Australia captain Jason Sangha, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi and Afghanistan batting sensation Baheer Shah all go into the event after making a mark on the domestic circuits back home.

Shaw, Gill, Sangha and Shah already have first-class hundreds to their name while left-arm pacer Afridi hogged the limelight by taking eight for 39 in the Quad-e-Azam Trophy, the best figures by a Pakistani on first-class debut.

The sensational performances of Baheer Shah too have created a buzz. The 17-year-old averages a staggering 121.77 in his seven-match first-class career, beating even the legendary Donald Bradman (95.14). He has the highest average in the list of players with at least 1000 first-class runs, leaving behind not just Bradman but also Vijay Merchant (71.64) and George Headley (69.86).

The exploits of India captain and opener Shaw too are well-documented. After grabbing headlines with his performance in junior cricket, Shaw has graduated to the higher-level seamlessly.

Adding to the tournament flavour will be the sons of Steve Waugh and Makhya Ntini -- Austin and Thando -- who will be turning up for Australia and South Africa respectively. Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland's son Will is also in the squad.

The 22-day tournament  features 16 teams and is being played across seven venues in the cities of Christchurch, Queenstown, Tauranga and Whangarei.

PTI

Groups: Group A: Kenya South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies.  

Group B: Australia, India, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe.

Group C: Bangladesh, Canada, England, Nambia.  

Group D: Afghanistan, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.  

Format: 16 teams are divided into four groups and each team will play the other three sides in the round-robin format.  

Top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super League (knockout stage) following which the semifinals and the final will be played.