Vikas Mishra and Unmukt Chand have been keeping busy for the last few days for a different reason. Ever since the news got out Sunday to be exact that the Delhi duo made the cut for India U-19 side,the boys have been getting congratulatory calls and text messages from relatives,friends,family and other well wishers. They would be part of the junior India squad for the quadrangular series starting from September 27 at Visakhapatnam with Australia,Sri Lanka and the West Indies being the other teams. The attention has been a happy distraction on the sidelines of the preparatory camp currently underway in Bangalore. Left-arm orthodox,Mishra is understandably floored with the sudden interest in his career by one and all. I dont have words to describe the feeling. I have always dreamed of wearing the blue jersey and I see myself wearing one in a weeks time. I am getting a loads of calls but I am enjoying the moment because I have waited for this to happen and now that time has come. I am excited as well as feeling happy to have given my parents a chance to be proud,though they always expected that Ill get the nod, Mishra says. Over the last two-years,the lanky spinner has broken into the Delhis Ranji team,and has proved extremely valuable to the team. The 18-year-old has snared 44 wickets in the 10 matches he has played so far. Strangely,for a lad to have done well at the Elite level,Mishra only played a solitary match for Delhis U-19 side last season scalping seven victims against Saurashtra. And it is a rarity for a player to make the cut for the national side after only one appearance in the age group side. But his consistency over the last two years and his ascent to the Elite side of Delhi was enough to convince the selectors. Now that he has been selected,Mishra is hopeful of making the playing eleven,as the tournament is being hosted in Visakhapatnam. Though,Harmeet Singh is the other left-arm spinner in the side,the nature of wickets may support spin and bounce and there is every bit of a chance that Mishra gets the nod for the second spinners slot. Though I havent bowled a lot in the past months but I was on the spot in the practice match that we played a few days back. I have the confidence and I hope that I get to play the first match against Australia. Fortunately for me,we two are the only spinners so I am thinking that I might be picked by the team management, adds Mishra while talking to Sportline from Bangalore. While Mishra is the Delhis contribution to the India U-19 squad in the bowling department,Unmukt Chand will don the openers role for the team. Chand has been in prime form himself after garnering 400 runs in five matches at a staggering average of 57.14 in the Ranji Trophy. Earlier,while playing in the U-19 category,he scored two centuries. But selection has not come as a surprise for Chand. He says that it was expected after such a heavy season full of runs. Frankly,it is not a surprise but one of the greatest achievements of my career. Everybody is happy but it hasnt sunk in as yet. I had always expected it and I was sure that out of 20 probables,making it into a side of 15 was not impossible. Thankfully my name is there and I cant wait to being handed over the blue jersey, says Chand. Before joining the camp at Bangalore,Chand was at the MRF Academy in Chennai. A place where mostly fast bowlers find refuge,Chand went in for three days and had a hit. It was just that I wanted to have quality practice and MRF is the best place to bat against fast bowlers, he adds. He is expected to open for the national side against Australia and he is well aware of the fact that the side from Down Under will not compromise on their fast bowling options despite batting-friendly tracks. I focus on small targets and the next one is Australia. In IPL you hardly get time to settle but here I will be going in with a responsibility to face 50 overs. I am fully fit and raring to go for the junior India representation, Chand adds.
