'Can't jump to senior level'

Youngsters will have to graduate from India A, says coach Rajput

The Indian under-19 squad has produced some of the best young talents on the circuit but that does not mean they should go on to play for the senior team rightaway, feels India ‘A’ coach Lalchand Rajput.

“There are exceptions, as in the case of Sachin Tendulkar,” said the former India opener after his team’s training session at the National Cricket Academy on Monday. “He was very good in the under-19s also. He played just two Ranji Trophy matches before playing for India.

“But to judge a player, it is very important to play at least one season of first-class cricket. It could be Elite or Plate group but one season of first-class makes them mature. They know what’s coming at that level, and they are better prepared mentally.”

“You can’t directly jump from the under-19 team to senior team. There are steps to be followed, there is a process, and I think India ‘A’ is part of the process. So if you get success with the India ‘A’ team, you can get into the Indian team,” opined the coach.

The Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand was tipped as Senior India material after the Youth World Cup campaign where he scored a match-winning century against Australia in the final.

“He has done exceptionally well in the World Cup. Even before the World Cup, he had an excellent Asia Cup. Once the World Cup started, he wasn’t in great form, but he showed what kind of a player he is in the final. When we were under pressure -- 90 for four -- he played a captain’s knock.

“That showed us that he is a very strong player. This is a real test for him. I am sure that if he can pass this course, next step is the Indian team,” he explained.

Talking about the preparation for the tour of New Zealand starting on September 18, the 50-year-old said: “It is very important for any tour to have a camp, and before the last tour (to the West Indies) we did not have a camp.

“We just had two days, and we never had any practice games in the West Indies because it was raining, so we straightaway went to the Test match. The main aim of this camp is to develop all our players to perform in the conditions one would experience in New Zealand.”