Twice as deadly!

Your 18th birthday has always been special. In the case of Delhi under-19 skipper Gaurav Chabbra, he added spice to his celebrations by smas...

Your 18th birthday has always been special. In the case of Delhi under-19 skipper Gaurav Chabbra, he added spice to his celebrations by smashing a personal best score of a double ton against Vidarbha on Saturday. It was also a record 30th match of his career as Delhi skipper.

Ishant Sharma, at 6ft 4 inches, is a year younger and seven inches taller than Gaurav. What happened to him doesn8217;t happen too often in the DDCA 8211; being omitted from the U-17 squad, to be recalled later to the U-19 team to take up the new ball. He took a personal best of seven wickets to justify the decision.

The potent force they create together comes at a time when Delhi has been in the want of a solid middle-order bat and a medium pacer to boost its arsenal. The duo are eager to make the grade quickly. 8220;My first aim is to make my first class debut,8221; says Ishant adding 8216;8216;if a call for the World Cup under-19 comes along then it8217;s a bonus.8217;8217;

However, with 6 hundreds and ten half-centuries to his credit, Gaurav, has been a touch unlucky; he remained a first stand-by for the Delhi Ranji team last season. 8216;8216;I want to get in this year. I know the selectors are watching and if I get my big scores, I stand a good chance to make a beginning in big cricket.8217;8217;

Gaurav, who practices at LB Shastri club under coach Sanjay Bharadwaj, ironically, doesn8217;t dwell deep into his skipper role.

8220;I first led the U-15 team, then u-16, u-17 and finally now U-19. It8217;s something that comes naturally to me. When I am batting, I only think about my shots. I don8217;t think it reflects much in your batting but yes, when you go through a lean patch as a batsman, a skipper just gets that leeway of the axe falling on him too soon,8221; he admits.

Gaurav loves playing the square and cover-drive and doesn8217;t think twice to hit the ball if it8217;s there to be hit.8216;8216;My strength is against spin bowling.8217;8217;

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Meanwhile, for a 12th standard boy from Ganga International School who started cricket seriously just two years back, Ishant has already been places 8211; the state team, North Zone, Zonal cricket academy and the National Cricket Academy.

His idols include Brett Lee and Glen McGrath. His chest-on action enables him to get that in-swinger going and claims, 8220;I can bowl outswinger, leg-cutter and an odd mean bouncer to get the variations. But I need to work on my legs, they need to be more strong if I have to bowl long spells.8217;8217;

Both are young and candid, striving for that challenge and opportunity that translates them to adulthood and to a bigger, tougher world of cricket.