A year ago, at just 16, he was already hitting 139 kmph while training at the MRF Pace Foundation under the guidance of former pace great Glenn McGrath.
Pranav Ragavendra is quickly becoming a name to watch in Indian cricket. The 17-year-old fast bowler from Tamil Nadu made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2024-25 season, playing two matches and picking up two wickets in his first game.
With his raw pace and early promise, he could be seen as a strong target for teams in the next Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.
Pranav has been training hard at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, where he recently clocked 147.3 kmph. This is the fastest recorded by any Indian Under-19 player so far. A year ago, at just 16, he was already hitting 139 kmph while training at the MRF Pace Foundation under the guidance of former pace great Glenn McGrath. Since then, he has gained attention as one of the most promising young fast bowlers in the country.
He has now earned a place in India’s Under-19 squad for the England tour, which will take place from June 24 to July 23, 2025. The tour will include a one-day warm-up game, five Youth ODIs, and two longer-format matches. This will be an important opportunity for Pranav to prove himself at the international youth level. He will be sharing the field with other rising talents like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, both of whom did well in IPL 2025.
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Speaking to The Indian Express, Pranav said he loves bowling fast and enjoys troubling batters with bouncers and hard-length deliveries. Speed numbers do not matter much to him, as improving accuracy remains a key focus. Maintaining high pace requires top fitness, so training, recovery, and self-care are part of his daily routine. The main aim is to be fully prepared for next year’s U19 World Cup and continue performing well in the future.
“I love speed and I want to bowl fast. It always feels great when you scare batsmen with bouncers and hit their gloves with the hard length. To continue doing it, I have to work on a lot of aspects, including accuracy, which is why I don’t keep an eye on the speed gun,” he tells The Indian Express.
“To bowl fast, I need to ensure fitness remains my top priority and for that, I need to take care of myself by doing the right things. Be it skillset training or fitness drills or recovery… everything is non-negotiable if I have to be part of next year’s U-19 World Cup and beyond,” he says.
Only a few Indian pacers like Umran Malik and Mayank Yadav have managed to bowl at such high speeds. Pranav, however, is the youngest of the lot and is close to joining that rare group. If he performs well in the England tour, IPL franchises may show strong interest in him during the next auction.
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