New Delhi, March 25: Unmukt Chand, who led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup 2012, made a remarkable mark with his batting prowess. He represented Delhi in domestic cricket but never got the chance to play for the senior Indian team, prompting him to move to the United States.
Born on March 26, 1993, in Delhi, Unmukt made his Ranji debut during his school days. He entered domestic cricket in 2010, scoring 151 runs in his fourth match. At just 18 years and 15 days, he debuted in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but managed only 2 runs in 2 matches that season.
In 2012, Unmukt was appointed captain of the Indian team for the Under-19 World Cup. Under his leadership, India reached the finals against Australia. Chasing a target of 226 runs, Unmukt scored an unbeaten 111 runs off 130 balls, hitting 6 sixes and 7 fours, leading India to the title. He was the tournament’s top scorer, amassing 246 runs at an average of 49.20 across 6 matches.
This performance catapulted Unmukt into stardom. Fans began comparing him to Virat Kohli, who had led India to the Under-19 World Cup trophy in 2008. However, his IPL career did not meet expectations.
From 2011 to 2016, Unmukt played 21 matches for three teams (Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, and Mumbai Indians) in the IPL, scoring only 300 runs at an average of 15.
Despite his struggles in the IPL, he remained a regular member of the India ‘A’ team. He led the team to victories against New Zealand ‘A’ in 2013 and Bangladesh ‘A’ in 2015. In the 2016 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 103 runs off 58 balls for Delhi against Gujarat.
Unmukt has played 67 first-class matches, scoring 3,379 runs at an average of 31.57, including 8 centuries and 16 half-centuries. In 120 List-A matches, he has scored 4,505 runs at an average of 41.33, with 7 centuries and 32 half-centuries. He has also played 103 T20 matches, scoring 2,141 runs, including 3 centuries and 10 half-centuries.
Due to the lack of opportunities in the senior Indian team, Unmukt announced his retirement from Indian cricket in 2021. He then decided to play in the United States, where he has participated in the Major League Cricket (MLC) over the last three seasons, scoring 528 runs at an average of 29.33 in 19 matches, including 5 half-centuries.
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