1. Virat Kohli
When you think of a U-19 player who has made waves in cricket, you generally can’t think beyond Virat Kohli. He was picked up by RCB in the inaugural season and Kohli to date continues to play for the franchise.
He is the single most important factor which keeps the fans and the lovers of the game rooting for RCB. He has been phenomenal for them.
2. Rishabh Pant
He set many tongues wagging with this devil may care strokeplay at the U-19 World Cup held in 2016. Delhi didn’t waste any time before investing in Pant heavily and boy has he delivered.
He is now counted amongst the most destructive batsman in the format. His ability to be unconventional and take the game head on makes him a player to watch out for.
3. Ravindra Jadeja
He too passed out from the batch of 2008 U-19 (when Kohli was the captain of the Indian team). He started his career with Rajasthan Royals, where Shane Warne called him the rockstar for the attitude he had for the game.
After the initial high, he had a couple of middling seasons with them, moved to Kochi Tuskers Kerala for a year but he finally found a home with CSK, and man he has become a champion player for them over the years. He continues to be a vital cog for the team.
4. Manish Pandey
Another member of the famous batch of 2008 U-19, Manish Pandey was the first Indian player to score a century in IPL in 2009. He played for RCB back then.
But Pandey found his true mojo when he plied his trade with KKR and that phase transformed him into a household name. He even the man of the match award in an IPL final (2014) and thereby earned the reputation of being a big match player.
Manish now plays for SRH and his power-hitting skills still play a crucial role for them.
5. Prithvi Shaw / Shubman Gill
Both these players came through the ranks of India’s U-19 triumph in 2018. While Shaw plays for DC, Gill was picked up by KKR.
Prithvi Shaw is someone whom the DC team looks up to provide super quick starts and put the team in a commanding position during the powerplay while Gill on the other hand plays the role of a sheet anchor for KKR in a batting line-up surrounded by power hitters.
