Prithivi Sir told me team-bonding played big role in India's success in 2018, reveals Priyam Garg

In what was a spectacular performance of sorts, India U-19, in 2018, went on to claim the Under-19 Trophy title, on the back of superb performances by Shubman Gill, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi. Shaw led the team from the front with a kind of maturity that doesn't come naturally to many and it is only fitting that when Priyam Garg is leaving for South Africa to defend the title, he tried to take inspiration from Shaw's tale.

"Although I haven't spoken to Virat sir yet, I have spoken to Prithvi sir a lot. He told me 'your planning, your process and your team-bonding is most important'. The more the team will feel a sense of togetherness, the better will they perform. Prithvi sir also told me that the team should know what their strengths are. He said that team-bonding played a big role in India's success in 2018. And he told me the importance of bringing the best out of the players," Garg said, reported Cricinfo.

He was in running for a spot in the U-19 team in 2018 as well but a sudden dip in form ruled him out of the tournament. Only 16 back then, he kept on pushing himself and not only did he get appointed as the captain for the 2020 U-19 World Cup but also helped Uttar Pradesh in the 2018 edition of the Ranji by being the second-highest run-scorer for them. He feels the experience of that and his previous U-19 captaincy stints will help him deal with the challenges that will be thrown at him.

"There's no pressure for me. I am seeing it only as an opportunity to captain a team in such a big tournament. We've played so many events, so that's an advantage for us. As a captain, all I'm thinking about is how to take my team forward... how to navigate the team out of difficult situations," Garg said.