Samit Dravid, who is injured, is set to miss India Under-19’s two four-day matches against Australia, which begin on Monday in Chennai. Samit is now recovering at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) after suffering a knee injury that forced him to miss the recent three-match junior one-day series against Australia. He was supposed to make his India U-19 debut in Puducherry, however, he did not play in any of the three games. India won the series 3-0. “He is now at the NCA rehabilitating from a knee injury. So I am still determining. “It appears unlikely,” head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar told ESPNCricinfo.
In reality, for Samit, the son of former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid, this is his final chance to represent India at the U19 level. He will turn 19 on October 11 this year, making him ineligible to represent India in the ICC 2026 Under-19 World Cup. We considered giving him a go in the four-day game, but let’s see how he does at the NCA. We are awaiting their report. We also have a second match,” a source familiar with the situation told PTI. The second four-day competition begins on October 7 in Chepauk, giving Samit another week to heal from his knee ailment.
Kanitkar believes playing four-day red-ball games at the Under-19 level will assist players grow. There is enough time for the bowlers to prepare and devise plans. As a result, it’s an excellent opportunity for hitters, bowlers, and even fielders to assess their abilities.
Listen to the newest songs only on JioSaavn.com. “I think being able to play against a foreign team is a fantastic opportunity. I know some guys, including myself, who played Under-19 cricket against international teams, and that was quite beneficial,” Kanitkar said.