Harvansh Singh’s blistering century, featuring six towering sixes, put India U-19 in a commanding position against Australia U-19 on day two of the second Youth Test. Despite a shaky start, India’s lower order, led by Harvansh, propelled the team to a formidable total of 492. Australia, in reply, ended the day at 142/3, trailing by a significant 350 runs, setting the stage for an exciting day three.
The India U-19 cricket team, after a thrilling two-wicket victory in the first Youth Test, aims to secure a series win against Australia U-19 in the second and final match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. Despite Australia’s dominant performance in the preceding ODI series, the Indian youngsters showcased their potential in the first Test, with 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi becoming the youngest-ever centurion in Youth Tests. However, the Indian team needs to address their batting vulnerabilities, particularly against Aussie leg spinner Vishwa Ramkumar. On the other hand, Australia needs to overcome their batting inconsistency and convert promising starts into substantial scores to secure a victory in the final match.
India’s U-19 cricket team, fresh off a dominant 3-0 whitewash of Australia in the limited-overs series, will now face the challenge of red-ball cricket in two Youth Test matches, starting Monday in Chennai. The team, led by Soham Patwardhan, is confident from its recent success, but will need to adapt to the longer format and the different conditions offered by the Chepauk pitch.
