Allrounder Samit Dravid, sidelined due to a knee injury, is unlikely to play in the upcoming four-day matches against Australia Under-19s in Chennai. Coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar confirmed that Dravid is currently at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for recovery. “As of now, he’s recovering from his knee injury,” Kanitkar stated, expressing uncertainty about Dravid’s return. This injury has already kept him out of the recent three-match one-day series in Puducherry.
Samit, the son of former India captain Rahul Dravid, received his first call-up to the India Under-19s after impressive performances in the Maharaja T20 Trophy and the Cooch Behar Trophy, which Karnataka won. However, he will miss the 2026 Under-19 World Cup due to age eligibility rules; he turns 19 on October 11, making him ineligible since players must be under 19 as of August 31, 2025.
VVS Laxman, head of the NCA, emphasized the importance of player exposure over merely building a talent pool for future tournaments. He highlighted that the current series against Australia will help players grow, regardless of World Cup eligibility.
India Under-19s are set to play their first four-day match in over five years, and Kanitkar expressed excitement about testing his players in red-ball cricket against Australian opponents, who are on the fringes of Sheffield Shield selection. “Playing against a foreign side is a great opportunity for growth,” he noted.
The Indian team enters this series with confidence after sweeping Australia 3-0 in the one-day format, but Kanitkar acknowledged the different challenges of the four-day format and the humid conditions in Chennai.
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