When Shreevats Goswami said wicket-keeping was a thankless job, one couldn’t agree with him more. Despite his catches, stumpings, jaw-dropping athleticism and quick reflexes he had been a subdued member in India’s World Cup side before today.Last week, a day before the quarter-final, one caught up with Shreevats, who was walking out of the team hotel with star batsman Tanmay Srivastava. He said a lame “Hello” and sensing his team mate’s mood, Tanmay lightened things up. “Just see, he will score tomorrow. I won’t be needed to come to the crease,” the one-drop batsman said looking at the keeper-opener. Shreevats got out early the next day and Tanmay was needed to come to the crease. The wicket-keeper’s mood didn’t quite improve. But today, after India’s win in the semifinal, Shreevats had a big smile on his face. His fine 51 in a crucial game and, more importantly, in a time of crisis had seen India into their second straight final of the under-19 World Cup. “I knew time was running out for me. If I had to contribute to the team, this was it. It feels to great to be among the runs and to make a significant contribution to the team’s cause,” said the 18-year-old from Howrah, who is yet to play first-class cricket and was opening the batting under lights for the first time. The more attacking of the two openers, Shreevats is regarded as a perfect partner for the more sedate Taruwar Kohli. During the group games and the quarters, his brief but fluent knocks had left many frustrated. But experts here have been raving about Shreevats’s glove work. The pint-sized keeper has shown that he has great pair of hands while standing up to the pacers and has been very impressive with his collection down the leg-side against the quick flat left-arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja. During net session, Shreevats is often walking on his hands flaunting his fitness. Ask him about the wicket-keeping and he tells you about the hours he spent taking catches and how he maintains a strict diet to stay in shape. “I have also learnt a lot from Kiran More and Syed Kirmani when I was at the National Cricket Academy. My footwork is because of the tips they gave me,” he says. But the most interesting story in the making of Shreevats is how he took up wicket-keeping as a nine-year-old. “I used to bowl pace but I was a total chucker. In these times being just a batsman doesn’t help so I became a keeper,” he says as he excuses himself because his phone rings. Before answering the phone he mumbles about the joint family he lives in and how his parents, elder sister, uncles, aunts and grandparents must have seen the game and are now calling him.ScoreboardNew Zealand U-19: G Worker c Tiwary b Argal 3, K Williamson st Goswami b V Kohli 37, M Guptill-Bunce b Jadeja 11, F Colson b V Kohli 32, T Southee b Kaul 11,C Anderson b Srivastava 70, G Morgan lbw b Kaul 1, M Bracewell not out 17, A Verma b Srivastava 2 3, NB Beard not out 1;Extras (b-2, lb-5, w-11, nb-2): 20Total (for 8 wickets): 205;Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-29, 3-86, 4-90, 5-137, 6-139, 7-197, 8-199.Bowling: P Sangwan 7-1-26-0, A Argal 6-0-13-1, S Kaul 9-0-43-2, R Jadeja 6-1-21-1, Iqbal Abdulla 5-0-22-0, V Kohli 7-1-27-2, T Srivastava 10-0-46-2.India U-19: T Kohli c Morgan b Southee 10, S Goswami b Southee 51, T Srivastava c Anderson b Verma 13, V Kohli c Williamson b Worker 43, S Tiwary not out 29, M Pandey c Guptill-Bunce b Southee 18, R Jadeja c Guptill-Bunce b Southee 1, Iqbal Abdulla c Guptill-Bunce b Boult 2, P Sangwan not out 5;Extras (b-5, lb-3, w-11): 19;Total (7 wickets; 41.3 overs): 191Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-40, 3-124, 4-150, 5-177, 6-180, 7-183.Bowling: T Southee 9-0-29-4, T Boult 8-1-26-1, G Morgan 3-0-18-0, A Verma 7-1-26-1, C Anderson 4-0-29-0, N Beard 2-0-16-0, K Williamson 1-0-7-0, G Worker 7.3-0-32-1.
