Pacer Aditya Thakre off to New Zealand for Jr World Cup

RAIPUR: Vidarbha medium-pacer Aditya Thakre, who made his first-class debut in the Rani Trophy final against Delhi and impressed everyone, is set to fly to New Zealand for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. TOI has reliably learnt that the 19-year-old will replace an injured Ishan Porel of Bengal.
Thakare is the second Vidarbha player after Faiz Fazal to be named in a junior World Cup squad.Faiz was part of the 2004 World Cup in Bangladesh but had to return after fracturing his thumb in a practice match.
"Aditya will going to New Zealand," a BCCI source told TOI on condition of anonymity on Monday. Porel injured his knee during India's 100-run victory against Australia on Sunday.
Thakre was all set to play for Vidarbha in the Cooch Behar Under 19 semifinals which begins in Nagpur on Friday. He will miss the final too in case Vidarbha qualifies.
Former Rajasthan captain P Krishnakumar, who has coached Thakare at the Central Zone Zonal Cricket Academy, is elated with the news. "I was surprised when he did not get selected. Aditya is a brilliant bowler. He bowls immaculate line and length which is suited for one-day cricket," he said.
Krishnakumar added that Aditya will forge a deadly combination with Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shubham Mavi. "They bowl at 140 plus kmph and Aditya swings the ball," he told TOI on Monday.
Thakare was injured last year but recovered well to prove his mettle. He was selected for the Central Zone Zonal Cricket Academy Under-19 Camp in Jaipur this April. The tall pacer then got picked in the Central Zone team for the Inter-Zonal matches conducted by NCA. He bagged 10 wickets in 4 innings.
Thakare was instrumental in Vidarbha's success in the Central Zone Vinoo Mankad Under-19 One-day tournament. He bagged 11 wickets in five matches at an average of 10.54 and an economy of 3.13, bagging a five-wicket haul. He was selected in the Indian Under-19 squad for the Youth Asia Cup in Malaysia.
Thakare also did well in the Challengers Cup. The Akola boy, who played for India Blue, picked up five wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 4.02.
Two years ago, in his first year Under-19 year, Thakare made heads turn with outstanding performances in Cooch Behar Trophy. The right-arm pacer took 34 wickets in six matches at an impressive average of 10.64 and economy of 2.28.