Samit Dravid earns maiden India U-19 call-up for Australia series

Samit Dravid, the son of legendary Indian cricketer and former India head coach Rahul Dravid, has been handed his maiden India U-19 call-up as the 18-year-old has been named in both the white and red-ball squads for the series against Australia starting later this month. 

Samit, a pace-bowling all-rounder, is currently playing in the 2024 edition of the Maharaja T20 Trophy, representing the Mysore Warriors. The right-hander has not had a lot of success in the competition, having averaged 11.71 with the bat while not having bowled a single delivery all tournament, but the teenager was a part of Karnataka’s squad that won the Cooch Behar Trophy at the start of the year.

There, Samit scored 362 runs at an average of 36.20 with the bat while taking 16 wickets at an average of 19.31 with the ball.

Samit is not the only Maharaja T20 player to have earned a call-up, as Shivamogga Lions’ Hardik Raj has also been included in the one-day squad. Raj, who is an explosive batter who bowls off-spin, has scorched 155 runs at a strike rate of 180 this season. He burst into the spotlight after scoring a 33-ball 69 against the Bengaluru Blasters in an innings that saw him smash five fours and five sixes.

Unlike Samit, however, Hardik Raj has not been included in the squad for the four-day games.

Hubli Tigers’ KP Karthikeya has also found himself in the red and white-ball squads. India U-19 and Australia U-19 will play three one-day games and two multi-day games across two venues: Puducherry and Chennai.

India U19 squad for one-day series against Australia U19

Rudra Patel (VC)(GCA), Sahil Parakh (MAHCA), Kartikeya KP (KSCA), Mohd Amaan (C) (UPCA), Kiran Chormale (MAHCA), Abhigyan Kundu (WK) (MCA), Harvansh Singh Pangalia (WK) (SCA), Samit Dravid (KSCA), Yudhajit Guha (CAB), Samarth N (KSCA), Nikhil Kumar (UTCA), Chetan Sharma (RCA), Hardik Raj (KSCA), Rohit Rajawat (MPCA), Mohd Enaan (KCA)

India U19 squad for four-day series against Australia U19

Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Bihar CA), Nitya Pandya (BCA), Vihan Malhotra (VC) (PCA), Soham Patwardhan (C) (MPCA),  Kartikeya K P (KSCA), Samit Dravid (KSCA), Abhigyan Kundu (WK) (MCA), Harvansh Singh Pangalia (WK) (SCA), Chetan Sharma (RCA), Samarth N (KSCA), Aditya Rawat (CAU), Nikhil Kumar (UTCA), Anmoljeet Singh (PCA), Aditya Singh (UPCA), Mohd Enaan (KCA)

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.