As per reports , former Indian U-19 skipper Unmkut Chand has decided to retire from Indian cricket. He will now play international cricket for the USA. Chand confirmed his decision earlier today on his official Twitter handle. Despite winning a U-19 title for India, Chand was never considered to play for the senior team. He thus has decided to play for another international team after getting no backing from the selectors.
Unmukt Chand took to Twitter to officially confirm his decision to play for another country. He has thanked his friends and family and all other people who have supported him in his journey so far. He has posted an emotional message on Twitter as well.
Speaking over the phone from San Francisco’s Bay Area, Chand told a News portal, “These last few years have been tough. But I wasn’t going to give up on cricket completely. If I wasn’t getting enough opportunities to play in India, where were the next four or five crucial years of my career going to go? I still get emotional imagining that I will never get to play for India again. But I have made some special memories while playing in India.”
Chand’s story is a perfect example of how not every story has a fairytale ending. It also tells us just how difficult it is to become a top-class cricketer in the country, where players are found in every nook and cranny.
He was still in school when he made his Ranji Trophy debut for Delhi. He showed great promise early on and scored a terrific 151 in his fourth match. He was only 17 at the time. However, his moment of glory came when he guided India to an Under-19 World Cup title in 2012 which made him a household name, just like Kohli.
They both had many similarities that made people believe that Chand would be the next Virat Kohli of Indian cricket
Opening the innings in the final, Chand blasted an unbeaten 111 runs as India defeated Australia to become U-19 world champions. Along with the World Cup title, Chand also returned home with the Man of the Match award.
The way he dominated the bowlers throughout that tournament made him the most sought-after young cricketer in the country but unfortunately, his career never shot up like he would have expected it to.
Unmukt will be playing for Silicon Valley Strikers and will also be in action in Minor League today (August 14). Should he complete the three-year residency qualification period, Unmukt will also be eligible to play for the USA cricket team.
