New Delhi: Delhi batsman Yash Dhull will lead the 17-member Indian team in the Under-19 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the West Indies from January 14 to February 5, the BCCI announced on Sunday.
Four-time winners India have been placed in Group B along with South Africa, Ireland and Uganda.
Dhul’s appointment was on expected lines as he was also named the captain for the upcoming Asia Cup to be held in the UAE from 23 December.
Dhul will have Andhra’s SK Rashid for the premier tournament in the Caribbean.
“The All India Junior Selection Committee has selected the Indian team for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup to be played in the four host countries in the West Indies from 14 January to 5 February 2022,” BCCI said in a press release.
In the 14th edition of the tournament, 16 teams will compete for the trophy in 48 matches.
India is the most successful team to have won the title four times – 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2018.
India has also been runners-up in the previous edition of the tournament held in 2016 and in 2020 in New Zealand.
Dul, a right-handed middle-order batsman, was the highest run-scorer in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy earlier this year. He averaged 75.50 for his 302 runs for the Delhi Districts and Cricket Association (DDCA) in the five matches he played during the tournament.
Delhi player Dhul thus captains the junior team in marquee tournaments along with the great Virat Kohli. He has previously led the Delhi Under-16, Under-19 and India ‘A’ Under-19 teams.
Rashid also made impressive performances in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, including a match-winning century.
The top two teams from each of the four groups in the format will advance to the Super League, while the remaining teams will join the plate over 23 days of competition.
India will start their campaign against South Africa at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on January 15.
They will play their remaining group matches against Ireland and Uganda on 19 and 22 January respectively.
The four host nations have been confirmed as Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago, with 10 venues hosting matches.
The 48-match schedule will begin with hosts West Indies taking on Australia, with Sri Lanka taking on Scotland in Guyana on January 14. The group stage will take place in Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago from January 14 to 22.
Trinidad and Tobago will host the plate competition from January 25 to 31, with the Super League taking place in Antigua and Barbuda from January 26.
The semi-finals will be played on February 1 and 2 at two venues Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Coolidge Cricket Ground.
The final will also take place at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Indian Squad: Yash Dhul (Captain), Harnoor Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, SK Rashid (Vice-Captain), Nishant Sindhu, Siddharth Yadav, Anishwar Gautam, Dinesh Bana (WK), Aaradhya Yadav (WK), Raj Angad Bawa, Manav Parakh , Kaushal Tambe, RS Hangargekar, Vasu Vats, Vicky Ostwal, Ravikumar, Garv Sangwan.
Standby players: Rishit Reddy, Uday Saharan, Ansh Gosai, Amrit Raj Upadhyay, PM Singh Rathore.
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