Under-19 Cricket: SL to face India today

India Under-19 Coach W. V. Raman, India Under-19 Captain Anuj Rawat, Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva, Sri Lanka Under-19 Captain Nipun Dananjaya, and Sri Lanka Under-19 Manager Hemantha Devapriya at the press conference - Pic by Upul Abayasekara

By Madushka Balasuriya

Sri Lanka’s Under-19 side take on their Indian counterparts in the first of two four-day matches starting today at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo. The teams will also play five one-dayers as part of the month-long tour.

For India all eyes will be on 18-year-old fast-bowler Arjun Tendulkar - son of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar - who is likely to make his official Under-19 debut.

The tour is India’s first since winning the Under 19 World Cup earlier this year, and despite only having one surviving member from that team, they will still likely prove a stern challenge to a fairly green Sri Lankan outfit.

Sri Lanka meanwhile had a fairly underwhelming tournament finishing ninth overall, but with only five players remaining from that squad, the newer faces will be eager to impress. Among those will be a few players from Jaffna, a sign that SLC is beginning to tap into the country’s vast talent pool. The tour is also Hashan Tillekeratne’s first in charge as Sri Lanka Under-19 coach. SLC hopes this tour will be the first of many in providing the Under-19 players with much needed international experience.

“This tour is significant mainly due to the fact that the Under-19 tours provide the pathway for the youngsters. It also gives the opportunity for youngsters to get exposure and experience at international level by playing against other players of a high calibre,” noted SLC CEO Ashley De Silva. “We are also in the process of organising similar bilateral tours for the next couple of years as per the agreement reached with BCCI.”

Pic by Upul Abayasekera