![Unmukt Chand was considered Indian cricket's next big thing [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1756194794000_UnmuktChandDownfall.jpg?type=mq)
Unmukt Chand was considered Indian cricket's next big thing [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]
On this day in 2012, Unmukt Chand had the world at his feet. The young Delhi batter led India’s under-19 team to a famous World Cup win against Australia.
His unbeaten 111 in the final became an instant highlight reel moment, one that had experts hailing him as the “next Virat Kohli.” But while Kohli went on to dominate world cricket, Chand’s career took a different route: a tale of unfulfilled promise, missed chances and cricket politics.
The Night That Made Unmukt Chand A Star
In the 2012 U-19 World Cup final, Australia posted 225/8 thanks to William Bosisto’s fighting fifty. But India’s reply got off to a shaky start as Prashant Chopra fell for a duck. That is when Chand dug in.
He formed key stands with Baba Aparajith and later with wicketkeeper Smit Patel, who played second fiddle while Chand took the attack to the Aussies. His 130-ball 111 not out was full of authority with cuts, pulls and fearless drives that showed he was a big-match player. India lifted the trophy and a new star seemed born.
Why was Unmukt called the next Kohli and what led to his downfall
The comparison wasn’t just about the runs. Like Kohli, Unmukt Chand was a Delhi boy who had captained India U-19 to glory. He had the strokes, the swagger and the temperament to anchor big innings. At the time, he was seen as India’s next batting torchbearer, a natural successor to the modern greats. But cricket can be cruel.
Inconsistent Domestic Form
After the U-19 high, Chand’s transition to senior cricket didn’t go smoothly. In the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments, he struggled for consistency. A few fifties here and there but nothing close to the dominance he showed at junior level. In a system where runs are currency, his stocks dipped fast.
IPL Struggles
The IPL could have been his stage, but it never quite clicked. From 2011 to 2016, he managed to score just 300 runs in 21 matches. Despite stints with franchises like Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians, he failed to leave a mark.
Cricket Politics And Setbacks
Adding salt to wounds was the politics in Delhi cricket. Chand himself admitted he became a casualty of “petty politics” within the association. His ouster from the Delhi squad hurt his IPL prospects and soon he found himself out of the India A set-up too. Without India A runs, the national call-up dream drifted further away.
From Promise To Exile
Chand tried to revive things by moving to Uttarakhand, but the fresh start never came. By 2021, he pulled the plug on his India career, announcing retirement to pursue opportunities in the USA. In America, he found a second wind in Minor League Cricket and even turned out for Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major Cricket League. But the dream of walking out in India blues never materialised.
Unmukt Chand’s story is both inspiring and sobering. Inspiring because he gave India a World Cup win and showed what young talent can do under pressure. Sobering because it shows how tricky the jump from junior to senior cricket can be. He was once called the next Kohli, but the journey turned into a cautionary tale of lost form, tough luck and cricket politics.
Even so, that century in 2012 still lives fresh in memory. It was the night Chand looked destined for greatness, a night when India found a hero, even if only for a while!
