what A Covid death, a family’s trials: behind U-19 trophy

INDIA’S DOMINANT run at the Under-19 World Cup culminated in a record-extending fifth title on Sunday. The latest triumph, however, will stand apart due to the tenacity shown in the face of unprecedented challenges off the field. The pandemic rocked the run-up and threatened the campaign itself — at one point, the team was reduced to ten fit players. However, just like their seniors at Australia’s Gabby in January 2021, the juniors remained defiant till the end, prevailing over England by four wickets in the final at Antigua. But then, a glimpse of the life stories of these cricketers show why they were never rattled — from a player who lost his father to Covid to several others who overcame extreme odds to reach the pinnacle of junior cricket. “The way people worked behind the scenes was tremendous, and nobody complained. Our manager contracted Covid and was in another city, but he was getting things done on the phone. Our physio became our doctor, our video analyst became the manager. Coaches were doubling their roles in the team,” Ravi Kumar, the left-arm pacer who fetched India nine wickets in the knockout games, told The Indian Express. After beginning the tournament on a positive note, overcoming South Africa by 45 runs, India found themselves struggling to field a playing XI. Hours before their match against Ireland, multiple players tested positive for Covid. “At one stage, there were ten of us fit to play against Ireland. The eleventh player, who was injured, had to finally play. It was an extremely professional environment. The way the practice was organized, the way every single detail was covered, it was remarkable from the BCC,” Kumar said. Captain Y ash D hull was among the five unavailable for the second group clash against Ireland on January 19. His deputy Shaikh Rasheed, Aaradhya ADAV, Manav Parekh and Siddharth ADAV were the others forced out of the Ireland and Uganda fixtures, prompting the BCC to fly in reinforcements. Assistant coaches ran out with the drinks. Thirty minutes before leaving for the stadium to face Ireland, all-rounder Nishant Sindh was told he would be leading the team. “I was putting tapes on my bowling hand when I saw (wicket-keeper Dinesh) Band rushing into my room. He said, ‘Tu AAJ captain HAI (You are the captain today)’. I thought he was pulling my leg. I went down to the lobby and was told by (National Cricket Academy head) V. V S Lax man sir and (coach) Rishikesh Knicker sir that both Dull and Rasheed are Covid-positive and I would be the captain,” said Sindh, who steered India home from a tricky position with an unbeaten 50. Sindh led India brilliantly against Ireland and Uganda, but a day before the quarterfinal against Bangladesh, he tested positive, too. “I had no symptoms at all. It was quite weird,” he says. But for those who know this team, the resilience in the face of adversity was not much of a surprise. Captain Dull, who braved severe Covid effects, returned with a match-winning century against Australia in the semifinal, days after he rescued his team against South Africa with a feisty 82. Dull’s grandfather Jag at Singh, an Army man, was his guide and drove him to matches. Before passing away a few years ago, Jag at had “instilled discipline and dedication” in dull.