Top order batsman Sandipan Das and medium-pacer Ravikant Singh were the toast of Bengal when they returned home after winning the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Australia last year. The Indian junior team, ably captained by Delhi’s Unmukt Chand, defeated Australia in the final after annihilating arch-rival Pakistan in the quarterfinals and New Zealand in the semi-finals.

Ravikant Singh, the right-arm medium pacer, got a lucky break when he was drafted into the playing XI after one of the regular bowlers was injured. This strapping young lad grabbed the opportunity with both hands and was one of the architects of the famous World Cup triumph. Sandipan was not as lucky as Ravikant.

In a team loaded with solid batsmen, Sandipan failed to get the right break and spent most of the time outside the playing XI. It is considered that playing for India in the under-19 level is like taking a big step towards first class cricket — the Ranji Trophy and the Duleep Trophy. Generally, the senior Indian team is picked on the basis of performances in these championships.

Reluctant association

Out of 15 boys who figured in the U-19 World Cup winning team, only two players, Ravikant and pace bowler Kamal Passi of Punjab, have yet to play for the senior State team. And, Sandipan Das has played only one Ranji Trophy match and a few limited-overs games till date.

Interestingly, other States are exposing their World Cup winning team members to higher grade of cricket such as the Ranji Trophy and limited overs tournaments such as the Vijay Hazare inter-State and the D.B. Deodhar Trophy inter-Zonal. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) though has been reluctant to promote its young talent. In the recently organised Deodhar Trophy inter-Zonal at Guwahati, three World Cup-winning team members, Unmukt, Baba Aparajith of Tamil Nadu and South Zone, and Vijay Zol of Maharashtra and West Zone, caught the eye .

The three players are indeed much closer to playing for India than others. The two Bengal players have slipped further owing to lack of support from the association. Till date, Sandipan Das has played in only one Ranji Trophy game against Railways and a few limited-overs games for the State. He played his last match against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently.

Ravikant was picked to play in only one match of the N.K.P. Salve Challenger Trophy. After figuring so prominently in the under-19 World Cup, Ravikant should have been promoted to play at the under-25 level, if not the senior State.

When Shreevats Goswami returned home after winning the junior World Cup in 2008 under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, the CAB treated him in a similar manner and he had to wait for his time to play for Bengal in the National championship for the Ranji Trophy.

> sabanayakan.s@thehindu.co.in

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