MUMBAI: Anvay Dravid, the younger son of former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid, top-scored with a whirlwind 87 (67b, 9×4, 1×6), while Arjun Rajput made 76 (81b, 9×4, 1×6) to help the India Under-19 team put up a formidable total of 285 in 47.2 overs against Sri Lanka A in the second Youth ODI in Hambantota on Monday.After electing to bat first, the India Under-19 team had slipped to 81 for four in the 19th over, before Anvay, a 17-year-old talented ‘keeper-batter, rescued the visitors with a mammoth 145-run partnership in just 126 balls for the fifth wicket with Rajput. India Under 19s lost both their openers- skipper Yashbardhan Chauhan (6) and Sagar Virk (4) – with the score reading 11 in the fourth over, following which Kushagra Ojha (38, 45b, 6×4) and VK Vineeth (24 off 45 balls) added 67 for the third wicket to put the innings back on track. Batting at No 5, Anvay, walking in with India U-19s at 78 for three in the 17th over, gave India Under-19’s some much needed impetus, batting at a strike rate of 129.85, and reaching his half-century off 47 balls.For the Sri Lanka Under-19s, left-arm seamer Gimhan Mendis took five for 41 in 8.2 overs. Anvay was out for a 19-ball 14 in the first Youth ODI at the same venue, as the India Under-19s chased down 321 against the hosts to register a four-wicket win. Incidentally, on Sunday, Anvay’s elder brother Samit Dravid did well with bat and ball in a Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 match on Sunday. Samit took two for 23 & scored 40 not out off 28 balls to fashion Bengaluru Blasters’ eight-wicket win over Mysore Warriors. Anvay recently led Karnataka’s Under-19 side to the quarter-finals of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. He scored 220 runs in the tournament – the second-most for his side – averaging 55.00 across six innings. The India Under-19s tour of Sri Lanka includes three one-day matches and two four-day games. Brief Scores: India Under-19 285 in 47.2 overs (Anvay Dravid 87, Arjun Rajput 76, Kushagra Ojha 38; Gimhan Mendis 5-41) vs Sri Lanka A.
