Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked Sachin Dhas as the one who impressed him the most after India’s Under-19 team lost the final clash against Australia at Benoni on Sunday by 79 runs. The right-hander scored 303 runs in the seven matches of the tournament at an impressive average of 60.60 and a strike rate of 116.54, which was the best for the top 10 run-getters of the competition.
Meanwhile, India found themselves teetering at 32-4 in the semifinal clash against South Africa in the run-chase of 245. However, Dhas was able to get his team out of the hole as he scored a match-winning knock of 96 runs off just 95 balls.
Dhas added a fine alliance of 171 runs with skipper Uday Saharan, who scored a crucial knock of 81 runs. Furthermore, India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin likened Sachin Dhas’s batting stance with West Indies batter Shai Hope.
“I liked Sachin Dhas a lot based on whatever I saw. I agree he got out to a spinner in the final. He plays the pull very well and plays good drives as well. He has got that flair. The pulls he hit against South Africa were to the left of midwicket. You need a special ability to do that,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The reputed commentator lauded Dhas’s solid technique while playing the pull shot.
“His arms open up, they don’t get cramped. If someone’s arms get cramped, he plays square and in the air. If your arms open up and you are able to make the impact away from the body, it means you have time, you can keep the ball down and hit towards midwicket. I have marked him as a good player,” Chopra explained.
Dhas scored a fine knock of 116 runs off 101 deliveries in India’s final Super Six game against Nepal.
Chopra also hailed Uday Saharan, stating the captain’s game sense is very good. Saharan top-scored in the tournament with 397 runs in seven matches.
“The second player I liked was Uday Saharan. He is a very good player. His game sense is very good. He plays cautiously and knows how to build an innings. He has an understanding of how to play cricket. His and Sachin’s semi-final knocks were both very good,” he stated.
