The new kids on the block

It is just a treat to watch young boys perform without bearing the cross on their back; the burden of expectations and success. Deepak Chougule and Tirumal Setti Suman are two players from the South Zone Under-19s who took the opportunity to display their talent in the match against England Under-19s at Guru Nanak College Ground, Chennai.

TS Suman is an opening batsman in the mould of the legendary Krish Srikkanth. A natural stroke player, always hungry for runs. His timing is so exquisite it makes batting look simple. The 17-year-old from Hyderabad has been playing at junior level consistently from the age of 13. Last season he captained the Hyderabad Under-16s and this year he was selected for the Hyderabad Ranji Trophy probables. There is the sparkle in this boy's eye that says a lot about the future ahead of him. A quickfire 42 in the first innings and a 53-run blast in the second against the English colts were signs of his tremendous ability.

Predominantly a front foot player, Suman relies on his sharp eyes and quick reflexes to smash even good length deliveries to the mid-wicket and cover boundaries. Make no mistake, this kid is not a big slogger of the ball. He just hits and when he hits, it stays hit. The young English bowlers would testify about his batting skills. Suman has three centuries in the Under-19s season so far. It amazed me to hear that his batting hero is the Australian Damien Martyn. Little does he know about Western Australia or the pace and bounce at the WACA. To him, scoring big runs and scoring them as fast as possible is the dearest thing to his heart. If he lives up to the potential that nature has blessed him with, sooner or later we could find him opening the innings for India.

In contrast, Deepak Chougule is the pocket-size run machine from Karnataka. He played a brilliant innings of 97 in the first innings against the English colts. The score of 97 is still remembered as one of the best Test innings played against the quality pace of Andy Roberts and company on a fast pitch by another Karnataka great, GR Viswanath, against the visiting West Indies at Chepauk in 1974/75. There is something about this kid from Belgaum which tells you that he is on his way to the bigger stage. Warm and humble, he reminds you so much of Vishy. He is wristy in his strokeplay, has a good temperament and is compact as any number three batsman should be. He plays strokes all around with finesse, the cut shot being his best. This is a little genius of a batsman.

He has made Bangalore his home away from home, to succeed as a cricketer. Listening to him talk about the game in progress and about the finer points of the game, tells me that he is no ordinary player. Just 17 and to be thinking so much about the game and to be analytical about it are promising signs of a good cricketer. His eyes lit up when talking about the assistance he has received from all the senior players in Karnataka. Playing his first match for his state Karnataka, in 1996/97 for the Under-13s against Goa at Chennai, he smashed an unbeaten 400 in a single day. That stands as a world record for the most runs scored in a day. If he grows up to be a batsman half as good as Vishy, we might be looking at another legend in the making.

Sad it is that cricket at junior level has been ignored by the officials and the administrators. There was not even one selector at the ground to watch the South Zone boys play the English. Players like Chougule and Suman are too rare to find. For the sake of cricket in India, one hopes that these boys get the best support from all who matter in Indian cricket. Rather than exploiting their sublime skills and talent at this age, they have to be harnessed and given the opportunity to help themselves make their dreams come true.