India's Under-19 team opened their tour of Australia in style, winning the match by 7 wickets to claim the 1st Youth ODI at the Ian Healy Oval, Brisbane.
It was a contest that saw opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi's explosive cameo set the stage before wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu anchored the chase with maturity to chase down 227 runs with ease.
Having been asked to bat first, the Australian innings never got the desired momentum. Early strikes from Kishan Kumar reduced the home side to 1 for 2 in the very first over. While opener Steven Hogan (39) and Tom Hogan (41) attempted a patient rebuild, regular breakthroughs kept Australia under check.
The standout for the hosts was John James, who played a counterattacking knock of 77 off 68 balls. His
stroke-making injected life into an otherwise sluggish batting card and propelled Australia to 225/9 from their 50 overs. For India, Henil Patel (3-38) and Kanishk Chouhan (2-39) maintained control in the middle overs, while restricting run flow.
The chase began with Vaibhav Suryavanshi unleashing an array of aggressive strokes, smashing 38 off just 22 deliveries. His innings, laced with seven fours and a six, immediately swung the momentum India's way. Despite quick setbacks with the dismissals of captain Ayush Mhatre (6) and Vihaan Malhotra (9) in succession, Suryavanshi's sparkle ensured India were racing along at 50 by the fifth over.
From 75 for 3, the visitors were steadied by Abhigyan Kundu and Vedant Trivedi, who stitched together a match-defining stand. Kundu was composed yet aggressive, striking 87 from 74 balls with eight boundaries and five sixes. His ability to take on the Australian spinners and seamers alike gave India a strong grip over the chase.
Trivedi's 61 off 69 provided stability at the other end, allowing Kundu to play with freedom. The pair's 152-run unbeaten partnership ensured there were no further hiccups as India crossed the finishing line with just less than 20 overs remaining.
