Samit Dravid to Miss Four-Dayers Due to Injury, Ineligible for 2026 U-19 World Cup

Samit Dravid, the son of former India captain Rahul Dravid, will likely miss the upcoming four-day matches against Australia Under-19s in Chennai due to a knee injury. The all-rounder had been sidelined from the three-match one-day series in Puducherry and is still recovering at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

"As of now, he's at the NCA, recovering from his knee injury," said India Under-19s coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar. "So, [I] don't know yet. It looks unlikely."

Samit, who turned 18 in October, will not be eligible for the next Under-19 World Cup in 2026 due to age restrictions. According to ICC regulations, players must be under 19 as of August 31, 2025, to participate.

Despite missing out on the World Cup, Samit's development remains a priority for the NCA. "We are prioritizing giving the players exposure to grow over merely selecting a talent pool for the 2026 T20 World Cup," said VVS Laxman, the former India batter and NCA head.

Kanitkar is eager to test his players in red-ball cricket, as the first youth Test against Australia Under-19s will be India's first four-dayer in over five years. "Red-ball [cricket] really tests you," said Kanitkar. "There's enough time for the bowlers to plan and [make] strategies. So, for both batters and bowlers and even fielders, it's the ideal challenge to see where you stand."

India Under-19s enter the four-dayers with confidence after a 3-0 sweep in the one-dayers in Puducherry. However, Kanitkar is wary of the conditions at Chepauk, which has experienced rain and high humidity. "The pitch is obviously different and we will have a look again tomorrow morning," said Kanitkar. "Let's see if it rains overnight or not because it's hot and humid."

Tags: #SamitDravid, #IndiaU19, #AustraliaU19, #KneeInjury, #U19WorldCup