The current Indian Under-19 team is full of future stars. We have already seen Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre show their talent in the Indian Premier League. Another name that has dominated the Under-19 scene is Abhigyan Kundu. He is the wicketkeeper in the current Indian Under-19 team that is on the tour of Australia.
Abhigyan was born on April 30, 2008 and has played for the Mumbai Under-19 team and began playing cricket at the age of five. He was born in a cricket-loving family that has supported him since the time he picked up his bat.
Abhigyan Kundu’s Early Life
Abhigyan started playing cricket at the age of five and received coaching from Chetan Jadhav. He has been doing rigorous practice from a very young age and started playing in local grounds and tournaments. His training regime includes facing 5,000 to 10,000 balls daily. He has been equally good in studies and has scored over 80% marks every year.
In an interview, his coach revealed that Abhigyan eats a plate of biryani after hitting a century. Abhigyan mentioned that he plays 1000-1500 balls before every game to get in the rhythm.
Abhigyan Kundu Stats
By the age of 13, Abhigyan had already made over 21,000 runs, 70 centuries, over 100 half-centuries, and 6 six double-centuries in private and recognised competitions. In January 2021, he scored an unbeaten 457 runs while playing for Avinash Salvi Foundation in a local tournament.
By 2022, his overall tally reached over 28,000 runs, with 117 half-centuries and 93 centuries. By the age of 17, he improved his record and amassed 122 centuries at the Under-16 level and below. His performance has helped him earn a spot in the India Book of Records for most runs by an Under-16 player.
His coach has maintained the details of every ball that Abhigyan has faced so far in a file. The file contains all the milestones achieved by the youngster, including the venue, date, and opposition against whom these records came. His coach is a former cricketer and has experience of over four decades. He played in the academy of Ramakant Achrekar, who was the coach of Sachin Tendulkar.
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India Under-19 Selection
These performances at the domestic level helped Abhigyan earn a place in the Indian Under-19 team. In his debut Youth Test against Australia Under-19, Abhigyan made 32 and 23 runs, respectively, in the two innings. He was named in the Indian Under-19 team that travelled to England earlier this year. In two Youth Test matches, Abhigyan scored 166 runs and hit two half-centuries. In four Youth ODI games, he made 112 runs at an average of 37.33.
The wicketkeeper-batter is currently playing for the India Under-19 side in Australia. In the first Youth ODI, he scored an unbeaten 87 runs off 74 deliveries and won the Player of the Match award. He continued his form in the second game of the series and played a knock of 71 runs off 64 deliveries. Thus, helping the India Under-19 team earn an unassailable lead in the three-match series.
India is scheduled to feature in the Under-19 World Cup next year in Zimbabwe and Namibia. Abhigyan is highly likely to get picked in the squad and show his class to a global audience.
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