Youngsters should get more opportunity at first class level: Pujara

AHMEDABAD: A new name popping up in the Indian cricket horizon is nothing new these days. Even when the focus was on Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan during the India and West Indies's A team's unofficial Test recently, a lesser known VA Jagdeesh of Kerala hogged the limelight with a fighting 86 on Day 1 and then someone called Uday Kaul scored an unbeaten 64 to take India closer to the West Indian total.
India U-19 skipper Vijay Zol is proving to be a tough nut to crack in the quadrangular tournament in Visakhapatnam. Then there is Unmukt Chand, Smit Patel, Rush Kalaria and a long list of junior cricketers who are proving themselves at every given opportunities.
Talking about the youngsters India's No. 3 in Tests and the captain of the India A team currently playing West Indies A Cheteshwar Pujara said that they no doubt they are doing well but they should replicate these performances in the first class level to prove that they are good enough to play at the highest level.
"The youngsters are doing well in T20 and ODI formats but they should get more opportunity at the first class level like the Ranji Trophy," said Pujara.
He further added: "The Indian domestic circuit is well structured to develop this habit. Only then India will get a good Test team. Now we are No. 1 in ODIs and T20Is but to be the No. 1 cricket playing nation, you want to be the best in all formats. And for that to happen these youngsters have to go through the grind of domestic cricket."