In uncle Viru's footsteps- Mayank Dagar aims to wear the India Blue someday

They had just failed to lift the coveted Under-19 world cup Trophy. After playing their hearts out throughout the entire tournament, they had stumbled at the final hurdle losing to their Caribbean counterparts.

Dagar, in an exclusive chat with SportsCafe, says, “I know. It was pretty hard to digest the loss after a string of brilliant performances. But winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. As teenagers, we were there to learn.  Yes, it hurts for not living to the expectations of the people. But, I promise I will compensate for it by winning a senior world cup for my country”.

Dagar was selected into his school team, and soon made a name for himself in school cricket, which eventually paved the way for his inclusion in the state team for the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy. Consistent performances ensured success, and he graduated to become one of the best in the business in his age group.

Being the nephew of Sehwag also helped his cause as he received invaluable advice on his game time and again.

Mayank is a lanky left-arm spinner and uses his height to extract bounce from the wicket and to generate flight. This trait also reaped dividends in the Under-19 world cup in which he ended as the second-highest wicket-taker for India despite playing two matches less than the top wicket-taker Avesh Khan. Now when India is in search of a quality left-arm spinner, who actually can add depth to the batting line-up, Dagar is a solid hope for the future

“In India under-19, everyone was equally talented. So, we had to wait for our opportunities. Dravid sir, Paras (Mhambrey) sir and Abhaya (Sharma) sir told us not to be impatient and we would get a game at any time.”

He went on to add, “Dravid sir is a legend. He was more like a mentor for us. Being under him for a long period was really fantastic. He always believed in the youngsters and made us comfortable both on and off the field. Along with him, Paras Sir and Sharma Sir around, we were completely pressureless. They used to handle the situation brilliantly.”

“Last year at the time of the auction, we were playing the under-19 World Cup. So it was more important for us. IPL is happening every year, but world cup doesn’t come like that. Only one thought was there, to win the world cup. I have no qualms about not getting a chance and yes, I am very happy for my teammates who were a part of the IPL.”

For now, Himachal has an old war-horse in the form of Bipul Sharma who has always bailed the team out on many circumstances. His absence for the first game paved the way for Dagar to get a game against Andhra Pradesh for the first Ranji game at the KIIT Stadium in Bhubaneswar, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands scoring an important 42 runs for his team. This speaks volume of his batting ability.

“As Dharamsala is a pace conducive track, it was difficult to go with two spinners, but after this now I can get more chances and  am sure I will vindicate the selection,” Dagar concluded with a smile.

For India, ICC under-19 World Cups have had a mixed history so far. Some cricketers have made it big, while some have been lost to oblivion. But with the drive and talent that Dagar possesses, his tale might very well lead to an India blue.