“As of now he’s at the NCA, recovering from his knee injury,” Kanitkar said of Dravid on the eve of India Under-19s first four-dayer against Australia Under-19s at Chepauk. “So, [I] don’t know yet. It looks unlikely.”
Samit, now 18, however, will not be eligible for the next Under-19 World Cup in 2026. As per the ICC’s regulations, any player who is eligible to feature in the Under-19 World Cup should be aged under 19 as of August 31, 2025. But Samit is set to turn 19 on October 11 and hence will not be able to meet the eligibility criteria for the 2026 Under-19 World Cup.
“So overall the exposure is there and they also are not only restricted or constrained only for the World Cup. We want them to evolve as cricketers and just because someone played India Under-19 or someone didn’t play India Under-19 doesn’t mean that they won’t progress in their career but if they play at the highest level, understand the pressures of a World Cup I think that will enhance their mental strength and also progress as cricketers.”
India Under-19 coach Kanitkar eager to test out his players in red-ball cricket
The first youth Test against Australia Under-19s, which will begin at Chepauk on Monday, will be India colts’ first four-dayer in more than five years. Kanitkar also talked up the exposure the Indian players would get, in red-ball cricket, against some Australian players who are on the fringes of Sheffield Shield selection.
“I think it’s a great initiative to play Test games because red-ball [cricket] really tests you,” Kanitkar said. “There’s enough time for the bowlers to plan and [make] strategies. So, for both batters and bowlers and even fielders it’s the ideal challenge to see where you stand. I think to be able to play against a foreign side is a great thing. I know a lot of people, including myself who played Under-19 cricket against foreign teams and it really helped us a lot. So, I think it’s going to be magnificent for the players.”
India Under-19s go into the four-dayers on the back of a 3-0 sweep in the one-dayers in Puducherry. Kanitkar was happy with the gains India Under-19s had made in those three games, but with Chennai receiving some spells of rain over the past week, to go with extremely high humidity, he was wary of the conditions at Chepauk.
“They’re confident and we’ve had a good one-day series,” Kanitkar said. “Having said that, this is a different format altogether. Everything changes and the place is different. So, it’s better to take good things from that and leave the highs back and prepare again.
“Pondicherry was hot as well. It’s very similar [in Chennai], so weather-wise, we’re fine. The pitch is obviously different and we will have a look again tomorrow morning. Let’s see if it rains overnight or not because it’s hot and humid.”
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
