U19 captain Raichandani has Dhoni-like composure, says coach Manish Jha

New Delhi: India U19 captain Lakshya Raichandani’s calmness under pressure and ability to read match situations have impressed Uttarakhand senior men’s team head coach Manish Jha, who believes the youngster’s understanding of the game sets him apart from his peers.

Following India’s dramatic U19 Asia Cup triumph, Jha highlighted the leadership qualities that have accompanied Raichandani’s rapid rise through domestic and international cricket.

Having watched Raichandani share the dressing room with Uttarakhand’s senior players, Jha believes the young batter’s influence is not necessarily reflected in how vocal he is on the field, but in the decisions he makes and the awareness he brings to the team.

“There are players who are seen, there are players who are not. His game sense is amazing, the way he reads the game. He is the kind of guy who does all the work from behind. He is brilliant,” Jha said in a Star Sports video.

Jha said Raichandani’s temperament remains largely unchanged, regardless of how an innings unfolds, drawing a parallel with former India captain MS Dhoni, whose understated approach to leadership was built around composure and clarity.

“Even after scoring 100, there is no excitement. Even after scoring 0, there is no panic. So, he is composed. And we need someone… you see, Dhoni, he was not very expressive. Same is with Laksh; he is not expressive, he is very calm and composed,” he added.

The coach also pointed to the youngster’s ability to communicate effectively with coaches and senior teammates, even if he does not seek attention through animated displays on the field.

“He communicates a lot with the coaches, but at a one-to-one level. In the team, he does everything with his actions, but you won’t find him very expressive. You won’t see him talking a lot or getting excited after a wicket falls. Cool and composed.”

Raichandani’s performances have backed up that assessment. He announced himself in senior domestic cricket during the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, scoring 223 runs in five innings for Uttarakhand, including knocks of 86 against Bengal and 55 against Karnataka in the knockout stages.

His international youth career began in July 2026 with the tour of Sri Lanka, where he made an extraordinary impression in the Youth Tests. A 207 off 324 balls in the first match at Galle, featuring a 295-run opening partnership with Sagar Virk, was followed by another century — 100 off 116 deliveries — in Colombo.

He carried that form into the September series against Australia U19, scoring 110 in the third Youth ODI at Rajkot before producing a career-best 240 off 281 balls in the first Youth Test, helping India win by an innings. Appointed Youth ODI captain and Youth Test vice-captain for the series, he has since led India to the U19 Asia Cup title.

Jha believes the numbers tell only part of the story, with Raichandani’s awareness and maturity making him an exciting prospect.

“But, trust me, he has a brilliant reading of the game. He has a brilliant awareness of the game. And he comes into the senior team as well. And when he talks with the senior team, he talks sense all the time. He is a very talented kid,” Jha said.