Opinion Keep the focus

The India U-19 team have been unbeaten in the tournament so far. (Source: ICC)

Ever since he took over as coach, Rahul Dravid has been trying to hammer one point home — that this Under-19 World Cup campaign is just one of the many means to an end. It’s been a lovely ride so far in the tournament for the boys. Some wins have been comprehensive; others have been snatched by pluckiness and skill. The absence of Australia and the brittleness of a few other teams have helped. This is also an event that has been shadowed by age-fudging, an accusation that has often engulfed subcontinental teams. The run to the final has to be placed in this context, but in this IPL age of glitz, other pressing matters too must be addressed.

It’s not just the concern of young heads being swelled by these wins and rewards. It is also the possibility that unrealistic aspirations could leave them under-equipped to face harsh realities. History has shown that many boys who have won a U-19 World Cup have not quite re-visited similar success in the world of adult cricket, while some who hadn’t even made it to the squad have tasted success.

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Unmukt Chand, captain of a winning team from an earlier edition, featured in an advertisement with M.S. Dhoni and Virat Kohli that catches the impatient teenage hope: “I can come into the Indian team soon but you can’t come to my team” was the cheeky ad line hinting at the tribulations and discipline needed to make it. To ask the kids to rein in their aspirations would be cruel. But good examples can be pointed out. Kohli, who reflects this post-millennial generation, has shown that one can balance cricket and commerce. Even as he is hailed as a celebrity, he has kept an undeterred focus on the game. The maturity came after getting carried away, of course. But that it can be done is a good thing for the kids to know. That much is left to be done is what they should be taught.