Can Raj Angad Bawa keep up his family’s rich sporting history? | ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup 2022

One of the names that have been making rounds in the media right from the outset is Raj Angad Bawa. Ever since his name came into the fray, the youngster put some impressive performances in the Challengers Trophy and is continuing to impress in the U19 Men’s Asia Cup. With the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup all set to kick-start in a fortnight’s time, Bawa is ever-so desperate to make his mark in the tournament.

Raj Angad Bawa has been playing professional cricket alongside his U19 teammate Harnoor Singh since the age of 16. The duo has made a lot of runs together and traveled pretty long distances, and nothing would be more special than going all the way in the upcoming U19 World Cup.

It is worth noting that this youngster, who turned 19 in November this year, comes from a family which has a very rich sporting heritage. His father Sukhwinder Bawa was the childhood coach of Indian legend Yuvraj Singh and played a crucial role in the growth of many domestic cricketers in Punjab. Adding to it, his grandfather Tarlochan Bawa was a well-reputed men’s hockey player before the 1950s and was a part of the gold-medal winning team in the 1948 London Olympics. 

Raj Angad Bawa (left) alongside his Chandigarh U-19 teammate Sehbaaz Singh.

Clearly, he already has plenty of burden on his shoulders before the limelight hits the top of his head. But the youngster doesn’t seem fazed by it and in turn, he seems to be relishing it. “My family has supported me in this journey and I am happy to make them proud. I take the honor of carrying forward the legacy,” said Bawa in an interview with Tribune India.

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Raj Angad Bawa, who is an all-rounder, bats left-handed and bowls medium pace with the right hand. He mentioned that it was a dream come true moment when the BCCI announced the U19 Indian squad for the upcoming World Cup and his name was included in it.

“It’s like a dream come true for me. However, it’s just the first step. I am looking forward to giving my best. The past few years have been good for me and I have performed well. I wish to carry forward the same in the coming World Cup and many tournaments ahead. Being an all-rounder is definitely an advantage as I can play a dual role,” the 19-year-old said.

The all-round brilliance that is Raj Angad Bawa

India has had its fair share of hits and misses when it comes to fast-bowling all-rounders. The likes of Irfan Pathan, Sanjay Bangar, Rishi Dhawan and many others failed to reach their true ceiling when they got their chances at the highest level, whilst Hardik Pandya, who earned a reasonable amount of success in this role, has struggled immensely for a good two years due to a shoulder injury.

Raj, who can hit up to the 140 mark on occasions with his medium pace, will soon be on the radar as the next big fast bowling all-rounder if he impresses in the U19 World Cup. He picked up 5 wickets in 2 games in the ongoing U19 Asia Cup, and played a crucial role in steering the side into the semifinal. He also contributed well with the bat coming in at number 6 against Afghanistan, negating a tricky situation alongside Kaushal Tambe.

There is promise and sub-plot well set for Raj Angad Bawa to strive hard and find success, to carry forward the sporting heritage in the house, who haven’t had a piece of national glory since his grandfather picked up an Olympic gold. Over the last few years, if we understood anything, the U19 World Cup can be a life-changing experience for a lot of cricketers and the Indian cricketing fraternity will keep an eye on this youngster.