U-19 World Cup 2022: BCCI-NCA may introduce "19 plus" team to stop talented boys from going off radar

New Delhi: Kamal Passi played a few matches for Punjab some seasons ago, Ravikant Singh is nowhere near the system now and four years since his glory days, Manjot Kalra’s career hasn’t got a head-start yet.

They were all once U-19 World Cup winners but have fallen off the radar, which is an issue that the BCCI will have to address.

That’s why there could be a “19 plus” level added to the pathways structure with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) ensuring that the talented U-19 players, who have just crossed the age-group, remain firmly in the system and their progress is monitored.

A Shaik Rasheed (Andhra), Ravi Kumar (Bengal), Raj Angad Bawa (Chandigarh) or Yash Dhull (Delhi) might make it to the state side right away but many players from the current India line-up will be caught in between the post U-19 phase and Ranji Trophy.

There exists an U-25 (previously U-23) state level but too many candidates are queuing for particular slots in those teams too.

“There is a five-tier pathways structure that the National Cricket Academy could be looking at in the future for developing players for the senior India team. It starts with U-16, followed by U-19, the Emerging (national U-23) and A teams. In this there is a plan to add a ‘19 plus’ level where all these boys could be integrated,” a senior BCCI official privy to discussions said.

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