16 Indian U19 World Cup stars who went on to play for Indian senior men's cricket team

India have lifted the U19 World Cup title most number of times.

Talented young cricketers from India’s U19 World Cup squad have consistently proven themselves on the cricketing stage, showcasing impressive skills and potential. Making the leap from U19 cricket to the senior men’s team is a significant achievement, highlighting their dedication, hard work and talent.

While some of these players have retired over the years, others continue to actively contribute, growing into strong performers who play a crucial role in the success of India’s senior men’s cricket team. This journey not only reflects the supportive environment within Indian cricket but also underscores the nation’s commitment to nurturing and developing its cricketing talents for the global stage.

Now let’s delve into the list of Indian u19 stars who went on to play for India’s senior men’s team.

16. Mohammad Kaif (1998,2000)

Mohammad Kaif, former Indian cricketer, established himself in the national team through stellar performances at the U19 level, captaining India to their maiden U19 World Cup title in 2000. He score 170 runs in eight matches.

He also impressed at the 1998 U19 World Cup by scoring 251 runs in six matches. Known for his exceptional fielding skills alongside Yuvraj Singh, Kaif played a pivotal role in India’s win at the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy and at the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He scored 2753 ODI runs in 125 matches for India.

15. Harbhajan Singh (1998)

Harbhajan Singh, a prominent figure in India’s bowling attack and the most accomplished off-spinner from the nation, was part of the 1998 India U19 squad. He secured eight wickets in six matches and caught the attention of national selectors.

Merely two months after his U19 stint, the young spinner made his India debut against Australia. Harbhajan went on to establish himself as one of India’s leading wicket-takers, picking over 700 international wickets, including 417 in tests, 269 in ODIs and 25 in T20Is.

14. Yuvraj Singh (2000)

Yuvraj Singh, a stalwart of India’s limited-overs cricket, burst onto the U19 scene in the 2000 edition, amassing 203 runs and picking 12 wickets. His stellar performances earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award in India’s first U19 World Cup title win. Yuvraj swiftly transitioned to the senior men’s team, debuting against Kenya at the ICC Knockout Trophy.

His illustrious career included pivotal roles in India’s triumphs at the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he earned another ‘Player of the Tournament’ accolade. Yuvraj bid farewell to cricket in 2019 after 19 years, leaving behind an impressive legacy of 1900 runs in 40 tests, 8701 runs in 304 ODIs and 1177 runs in 58 T20Is, along with 111 ODI wickets and 28 T20I wickets.

13. Irfan Pathan (2002)

The 2002 U19 World Cup team marked the introduction of a young Irfan Pathan onto the international cricket stage. Known for ability to swing the new ball and his solid batting capabilities in the lower-order, Irfan quickly garnered high expectations following his international debut in 2003. Notably, he played a pivotal role in India’s victory at the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007.

He received the Man of the Match award in the final game against Pakistan. In his career, Irfan accumulated 1544 runs and picked 173 wickets in 120 ODIs, 1105 runs and 100 wickets in 29 tests and 172 runs and 28 wickets in 24 T20Is.

12. Shikhar Dhawan (2004)

Shikhar Dhawan left an indelible mark at the 2004 edition of the U19 World Cup with his remarkable batting display. The Indian opener accumulated 505 runs which included three centuries and a fifty. Dhawan’s consistent performances extended into his international career as well.

He earned the Golden Bat at both the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy editions and emerged as India’s top run-scorer at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. As of now, he has scored 2315 runs in tests, 6793 runs in ODIs and 1759 in T20Is.

11. Cheteshwar Pujara (2006)

Cheteshwar Pujara, a standout performer at the 2006 U19 World Cup squad, emerged as the top scorer of the tournament with an impressive 349 runs in six matches. He made his international debut in 2010 and has become a stalwart in test cricket for India.

He has so far scored 7195 runs and has hit 19 centuries, showcasing his batting skills and resilience. While excelling primarily in the longer format, he has also made appearances in five ODIs for the national team. Pujara’s journey from the U19 stage to becoming a key player in the Indian test team is a testament to his talent and dedication.

10. Rohit Sharma (2006)

The 2006 U19 World Cup ended with an agonizing campaign for India, as they incurred a loss in the final against Pakistan. However, the selectors took notice of the outstanding talent displayed by a young player named Rohit Sharma, who scored 205 runs in six matches. This recognition led to the Mumbai batter being included in India’s inaugural T20 World Cup squad in 2007.

Rohit made a significant impact in his maiden international assignment, delivering crucial performances in key matches against South Africa and Pakistan, including the final. Presently, Rohit has played 54 tests and has scored 3737 runs with 10 centuries, 262 ODIs with 10709 runs and 31 centuries and 149 T20Is with 3853 runs and four centuries so far.

9. Virat Kohli (2008)

Virat Kohli, the most prolific batter among current cricketers, cultivated his hunger for success and desire to achieve new heights during his U19 World Cup days, where he led the side to victory at the 2008 U19 World Cup. Finishing as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer, he made his ODI debut in the same year for India.

Over a glorious decade in Indian cricket, Kohli has scored over 20,000 international runs and achieved success as a captain across all three formats of the game. He has scored 8848 runs in tests with 29 centuries, 13848 runs in ODIs with 50 centuries and 4008 runs in T20Is with one century so far.

8. Ravindra Jadeja (2006,2008)

Ravindra Jadeja made his initial mark at the 2006 U19 World Cup and continued his impressive journey by participating at the 2008 U19 World Cup, where he played a pivotal role, taking 10 wickets and securing two key dismissals in the final against the South Africa U19 team.

Since then, he has solidified his position as one of India’s premier all-rounders across all formats of the game. His notable contributions include 2804 runs and 275 wickets in tests, 2756 runs and 220 wickets in ODIs, along with 480 runs and 53 wickets in T20Is so far.

7. Rishabh Pant (2016)

Rishabh Pant showcased his talents at the 2016 U19 World Cup, amassing 267 runs in six matches, including a century and two half-centuries. As the vice-captain, he played a pivotal role in India’s campaign. His international debut came in the T20Is in January 2017, followed by test and ODI debuts in August and October 2018, respectively.

Pant has since contributed significantly with the bat, accumulating 2271 runs in tests, 865 runs in ODIs and 987 runs in T20Is so far.

6. Ishan Kishan (2016)

Ishan Kishan served as the captain of India’s 2016 U19 World Cup team, contributing 73 runs in six matches. Despite a poor U19 World Cup outing, his noteworthy performances in domestic cricket and IPL paved the way for his international debut in 2021. So far, Ishan has participated in 27 ODIs, 32 T20Is, and 2 tests.

5. Shubman Gill (2018) :

Shubman Gill emerged as a star performer during the 2018 U19 World Cup, showcasing his batting skills with an impressive 372 runs in six matches, including a century and three half-centuries. This stellar performance earned him a contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL.

Subsequently, in January 2019, he made his ODI debut. Since then, Gill has continued to make significant contributions for the national side in the international level. He has scored 1040 runs in tests, 2271 runs in ODIs and 335 runs in T20Is so far.

4. Prithvi Shaw (2018)

Prithvi Shaw, who led India’s 2018 U19 World Cup team, showcased his batting capabilities by scoring 261 runs in six matches during the tournament. Following these impressive performances, he got his maiden India test call-up in October 2018.

However, Shaw has been out of the team for a considerable period. Currently, he has played five tests, six ODIs and one T20I.

3. Arshdeep Singh (2018)

Arshdeep Singh showcased his potential during the 2018 U19 World Cup, featuring in two matches and securing three wickets. Despite limited opportunities in the U19 World Cup, his impressive IPL performances paved the way for his international debut in 2022.

As of now, Arshdeep has participated in 43 T20Is, picking 59 wickets and has also played six ODIs and claimed 10 wickets.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal (2020)

Yashasvi Jaiswal made a significant impact during the 2020 U19 World Cup, emerging as the top-scorer with 400 runs in six matches. His notable performances in the IPL and domestic career led to his test and T20I debut in 2023.

Jaiswal has played four Tests and 15 T20Is so far for India, making a mark in his debut test by scoring a century and breaking several records.

1. Ravi Bishnoi (2020)

Ravi Bishnoi left a lasting impression during the 2020 U19 World Cup, standing out as the top wicket-taker with 17 wickets in six matches. His consistent performances extended to the IPL in the subsequent seasons and he made his international debut in ODIs and T20Is in 2022. Bishnoi has played 22 T20Is, claiming 34 wickets and has also featured in one ODI so far.

(All stats till 13th January, 2024)

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.