The youngster has played four Youth Tests and eight One-Day matches respectively.
When we glance across the number of players coming up the ranks from the Indian U19 circuit, one would be amazed at the talent and skill that the youngsters possess. One such talent is Rahul Kumar, who is making his way up the ladder. After impressive performances against the Australian U19 side recently, the youngster had earned a name. Kumar has made his way into the Prolithic Talent Agency, where he will be groomed under the watchful eyes of former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh.
The Man of the Tournament from the World Cup 2011 is also mentoring the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh. His experience will help another youngster gain valuable insights.
Rahul Kumar is yet to take the field on Indian soil with the U19 side. But he has shown a glimpse of his brilliant batting in the recent tours to England and Australia. The left-handed middle-order batter was a part of the Youth Test and ODI squads. He featured in the playing XI in almost every match that the team played.
On English soil, Kumar featured in five Youth ODIs, displaying good intent throughout the series. His highest score in the series was 47. The Amritsar-born has a skill of batting along with tail-enders and can take the game deep on most occasions. To add to that, the youngster also impressed with his temperament in the first Youth Test against England. He scored a composed 85, helping India to a strong position.
In the third Youth ODI against the Australians, Rahul Kumar scored a composed 62 off 84 deliveries to help the team post a competitive total of 280 on the board. Currently involved in the Youth Tests, the No.6 batter scored a 22-ball 23 in Brisbane as India went on to win by an innings and 58 runs. During the second Test in Mackay, Kumar returned with a 20-ball nine. After Stumps on Day 2, India lead by nine runs.
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Rahul Kumar’s exploits at the international level do not come as a surprise. The 18-year-old plays for the Agri King’s Knights in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup, which is a state-level T20 competition organised by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). The league acts as a platform for youngsters to showcase their performances.
The young blood has showcased his brilliance for the Knights in the competition. In a match against the Royal Phantoms in 2024, Rahul Kumar scored a promising 34 off just 25 deliveries, contributing to the team’s success. The Knights won by four wickets. To add to that, he was awarded the Man of the Match trophy.
In another game against the BLV Blasters, the youngster scored a quickfire 22 off 17 deliveries. Though the Knights lost the match by a margin of 44 runs, his contributions in the middle-order were recognised by the selectors. Rahul Kumar has shown the ability to accelerate when the team needs him to, and can also play with the tail-enders, making him a good lower-order batter.
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