India Under-19 registered an emphatic 10-wicket victory over Australia Under-19 within three days in the second Youth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The standout performer of the contest was 18-year-old left-arm spinner Tanmay Baloda, whose mesmerizing spell across both innings rewrote the history books. By taking five or more wickets in each innings and finishing with a total of 14 wickets, Baloda dismantled a 19-year-old all-time Youth Test bowling world record, ensuring a complete whitewash for the touring side.
Tanmay Baloda Secures All-Time Best Youth Test Match Figures
The second Youth Test, which began on October 5, turned into a bowling masterclass from Tanmay Baloda. The teenage spinner kept relentless pressure on the visiting batting lineup from the outset. In Australia's first innings, he claimed 6 wickets while conceding only 32 runs. During the second innings, Baloda proved even more destructive, capturing 8 wickets for just 41 runs. His combined match bowling figures stood at 14 wickets for 73 runs, placing him at the pinnacle of Youth Test cricket as the bowler with the highest wicket tally in a single match.
Tim Southee's 2007 Milestone Eclipsed
Prior to Baloda's extraordinary outing in Ahmedabad, the record for the most wickets taken in a Youth Test match belonged to New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee. Southee had claimed 12 wickets for 92 runs against India Under-19 back in 2007. After remaining unchallenged for 19 years, that record has now been surpassed by Baloda's 14-wicket haul. While six other bowlers in international youth history had previously reached the 12-wicket mark in a single match, Baloda became the first player ever to claim 14 wickets in a Youth Test encounter.
Top Bowling Performances in Youth Test History
The record books for the highest number of wickets in a single Youth Test match now feature the following performances
- Tanmay Baloda (India): 14 wickets for 73 runs (2026, vs Australia Under-19)
- Tim Southee (New Zealand): 12 wickets for 92 runs (2007, vs India Under-19)
- Fazl-e-Akbar (Pakistan): 12 wickets for 99 runs (1997, vs South Africa Under-19)
- Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (India): 12 wickets for 122 runs (2001, vs England Under-19)
- Ashish Zaidi (India): 12 wickets for 147 runs (1997, vs Pakistan Under-19)
- Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan): 12 wickets for 150 runs (1989, vs India Under-19)
- Paul Stepto (Australia): 12 wickets for 169 runs (1986, vs India Under-19)
India Chase 11-Run Target in Just 5 Deliveries
The entire tour proved to be a difficult assignment for Australia Under-19. Earlier in the tour, the visitors suffered a comprehensive defeat in the three-match Youth ODI series. India maintained that dominance in the two-match Youth Test rubber as well, having won the opening fixture by an innings and 48 runs. In the second match, after Baloda wrapped up the Australian second innings, India were left with a tiny fourth-innings target of 11 runs. Opening batsmen Lakshya and Sagar knocked off the required runs without losing a wicket in just 5 balls to seal the 10-wicket win.
