Scotland’s selectors have made two late adjustments to their Under-19 World Cup squad, drafting in seamers Shlok Thaker and Shreyas Tekale for next month’s tournament. Thomas Knight remains captain of a 15-strong group that will first assemble in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on 30 December before moving on to Zimbabwe.
Head coach Keegan Russell welcomed the fresh faces. “It’s exciting to welcome Shlok and Shreyas into the squad, and we’re really happy to see the work they’ve put in to get to this stage,” he said. The pair had missed August’s ICC Europe Qualifier in Dundee, a competition Scotland won, but Russell insisted their recent progress could not be ignored.
“Shlok was with us as part of the wider training squad, and unfortunately missed out on a place at the [ICC Europe] Qualifier. He’s gone away and taken on board the feedback, put a huge amount into his training, and come back fitter and stronger, and is now bowling the best that we’ve seen him. It’s really pleasing to see that approach he’s taken, responding to what could be seen as a setback, and he’s come back stronger for it.”
Tekale’s path has been equally circuitous. “Shreyas had a great tour in Ireland with the U-17 squad at the Celtic Cup, and proved a real handful on the wickets over there. He’s had a tough journey in terms of the teams he’s had to graft to get into, and as someone who wasn’t in our wider squad at the start of the year, he’s come on a great deal and turned heads with some of his performances, so he deserves his selection.”
The Scots open their campaign on 15 January against hosts Zimbabwe in Harare, before meeting Pakistan and then neighbours England in the same city. All three fixtures sit within Group C of the 16-team event. Scotland finished 16th at the last edition after losing each group match, a record Russell’s side are keen to improve.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone, but it’s been challenging as well,” Russell noted. “It’s important to remember that we are looking after a group of teenage boys who are training like professionals ahead of this World Cup, so it’s been brilliant to see their excitement, and it’s been a long time coming for them.”
He set measured targets: “We see this tournament as a chance to go out and turn a few heads, and hopefully topple some bigger teams as well, but it’s also a chance to learn and develop against some of the best players in the world on the international stage.”
Squad: Thomas Knight (capt), Finlay Carter, Max Chaplin, George Cutler, Rory Grant, Finlay Jones, Ollie Jones, Ali Khan, Olly Pillinger, Ethan Ramsay, Theo Robinson, Manu Saraswat, Shlok Thaker, Shreyas Tekale, Jake Woodhouse.
