Top 5 Indian U-19 stars whose careers never got going
Cricket has become an undetachable part of billions of souls across the globe. When it comes to India, it is more than just a game. Over the years, Indian cricket has been blessed with some imperiously talented cricketers to make Indian cricket a batting powerhouse in the International cricket.
The Indian batting legacy began from the great Sunil Gavaskar and then the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, shouldered the burden of Indian cricket for more than two decades. After the end of Tendulkar's era, it's the skipper of the current Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli, who has been carrying the legacy left by the yesteryear greats.
Gavaskar and Tendulkar inspired many youngsters to take up the sport. The likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, and Prithvi Shaw built a massive reputation with some consistent performances at the age group level cricket. They then went on to represent India and became extremely successful.
However, there have been a few exceptionally talented cricketers who faded away, even finding it difficult to get a place in their domestic teams. Let us now take a look at five of those young cricketers who have failed to live up to the expectations:
#5 Pradeep Sangwan
The only Indian bowler to register a five-for against South Africa, in the 2008 U-19 World Cup, Pradeep Sangwan, was the go-to bowler for his skipper Virat Kohli. He provided crucial breakthroughs for India whenever required. Him being picked by Delhi Daredevils ahead of Virat Kohli in the 2008 IPL player drafts for U-19 cricketers, was a testimony to his potential.
He impressed one and all with his accurate fast bowling in his maiden Ranji season in 2007-08. After representing the Daredevils for three consecutive seasons in the IPL, Sangwan was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011. However, the left-arm pacer gradually lost his touch and also got himself into a controversy when he was tested positive during a random dope test conducted during the 2013 IPL. He was handed a 15-month ban from all forms of cricket by the BCCI.
After serving the ban, Sangwan came back and had a good 2015-16 Ranji season. This fetched him an IPL contract with Gujarat Lions for IPL 2016. But he could only play a total of 7 games for GL in 2016 and 2017 IPL seasons.
His fine returns in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2018 helped him get an IPL contract worth ₹1.5 crore from Mumbai Indians for the eleventh edition of the IPL. But he got just a solitary game in the 2018 season.
He has been in and out of his state team in the domestic circuit and has not been that consistent apart from a few domestic seasons after the 2008 U-19 World Cup. Looking at the way things are unfolding for Sangwan, chances of him making it to the highest level of cricket are very less.