2nd Test: Laxman arranged for India U19 team to watch day two’s play, says Kanitkar

Birmingham, July 4 India U19 men’s head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar has revealed that VVS Laxman, the head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), ensured that they got to watch the second day’s play in the ongoing Test at Edgbaston, where skipper Shubman Gill smashed a masterly career-best score of 269.

During the second day’s play, the entire India U19 team, led by young Mumbai batter Ayush Mhatre, along with Kanitkar and other coaching staff members, were seen watching the game live. Kanitkar, the former India batter, felt watching a day’s play live has served as great exposure to the young batters on how to build an innings in a red-ball game.

“VVS Laxman was instrumental in arranging this. He was the one who actually said that it would be a good thing to go and watch this game. It's definitely a special occasion for any upcoming cricketer to be at a Test venue,” said Kanitkar in a video posted on bcci.tv on Friday.

“The main thing I want them to take back from what we have watched so far, as a batter, is that not every ball has to be whacked for a four and six. You can still be extremely effective, score runs at a good rate, and still score a lot of runs, like what Shubman has done. When we go back, there will be a session on what they learnt from it.”

“He has batted like a classical Test innings, but he has not just ground it. He has played his shots. He has chosen the right ball, getting into good positions. They can relate to it for sure that if this person succeeds at this level by doing the basic stuff very well, we can as well, and I think that will be the biggest learning," he added.

Young left-handed batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who’s hit scores of 48, 45, and 86 in the ongoing youth series in England, said there was a lot to learn from Gill’s majestic knock. “I am feeling very good. This is my first Test match of watching in England, and I am seeing how the game is going.”

“I am feeling very good. We all came to watch the match. We got a lot of inspiration because Shubman Gill is a role model for us, and everyone's dream is to play red-ball cricket for their country.”

Young spinner Anmoljeet Singh, who hails from Punjab, where Gill is also from, said seeing day two’s play served as a further motivating factor for him to play for the country. "Yesterday evening, sir told us that everyone has to go and watch the match. We were ready to go and watch the match from morning itself.”

“Gill was batting at 114 at that time, and it felt good that he was playing, and we went and watched his batting. Representing India is a big achievement. When I see them, I get motivated to play for India like them and become like them,” he said.

India U19 are currently leading the five-match Youth ODI series 2-1 against England, and are all set to play the fourth match at New Road, Worcester on July 5, before the fifth and final game happens at the same venue on July 7.

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