It’s important that Prithvi Shaw & Co. make the leap to the senior side says Rahul Dravid
Coach Rahul Dravid has pointed out that the boys from the U-19 team need to make the leap to the senior team in order for their victory to truly mean something. He also stated that he doesn't feel the pain of not lifting the World Cup anymore and is satisfied with the process of helping youngsters.
The likes of Indian skipper Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Yuvraj Singh have all been involved in the U-19 team at earlier stages in their respective careers. They all were part of a selected few who managed to make an important transition from the junior team to the senior team and emerge successfully. But, that has not always been the case for every player.
U-19 coach Rahul Dravid highlighted the importance of his squad to make the leap from the junior side to the senior side as fast as possible. The former India captain made a brilliant observation when he pointed out that only one player (Sandeep Sharma) made it to the national side from India's triumphant squad in the 2012 Under-19 World Cup. As opposed to that, runners-up to the 2012 tournament, Australia, saw five-six boys making the leap to the senior side.
"So who really was the winner in the end?" asked Dravid
One of the most graceful players to have ever played the game, Dravid had never laid his hands on a World Cup until recently albeit as coach of the triumphant Indian U-19 team. He was on the verge of winning a World Cup in 2003 but India eventually lost to Ricky Ponting-led Australia in the final. Four years later in the Caribbean islands during the 2007 World Cup, where he was the captain of the team, India experienced a heart-breaking first-round exit.
"I don't really feel any pain about that anymore. I'm just happy for the Under-19 boys for their achievement. The real satisfaction was in the process. Planning and developing of U-19 players was in place. I am really happy because of these fifteen boys winning the World Cup. The way they have played and executed
