Jalandhar's Arjun Rajput earns India U-19 call-up for Sri Lanka tour
Synopsis
Arjun Rajput's path to the India U-19 jersey runs through the narrow lanes of Jalandhar's Ram Nagar and a father who has spent years at a kulcha stall to fund his son's dream. Selected for the Sri Lanka tour starting 4 July, the left-handed batter and off-spinner is among the more compelling origin stories in junior Indian cricket this year.
Key Takeaways
Arjun Rajput of Jalandhar has been selected in the India Under-19 squad for the Sri Lanka tour .
The squad departs on 4 July ; Arjun will make his India debut on the tour.
His father, Hoti Ram , supports the family by making kulchas and working at a bakery.
Arjun trained at the Harbhajan Singh Cricket Academy and under coach Vikram Sidhu .
India will play 3 One-Day matches (Hambantota) and 2 Multi-Day fixtures (Galle and Colombo).
The tour runs from 4 July to 23 July .
Arjun Rajput, a left-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner from the Ram Nagar locality of Jalandhar, has been named in the Indian Under-19 squad for next month's tour of Sri Lanka. The teenager will wear the India jersey for the first time when the side departs on 4 July, capping a journey built on family sacrifice and cricketing grit.
From a Kulcha Stall to the National Squad
Arjun's story is rooted in modest circumstances. His father, Hoti Ram, has spent years making kulchas and working at a bakery to keep the household running — and to ensure his son never had to step away from cricket. The family's unwavering support through financial constraints has become the defining backdrop of Arjun's rise.
'I have been making kulchas for many years. Arjun has been playing cricket since the age of five. He is very talented and hardworking. I came to know about the selection in the morning, and it is a very good feeling,' Hoti Ram told reporters. 'His dream has been fulfilled, and it is a very special moment for us,' he added.
The Player's Response
Arjun, speaking after the squad announcement, did not hide his emotion. 'I am very happy and proud to be at this level. I am very happy that we are playing our first match in Sri Lanka. I am very proud of it. We will represent our country, and we will try our best to win all the matches and perform well,' he said.
The youngster also credited the people who kept him grounded during difficult stretches. 'My father, mother and brother always supported me. Whenever I used to feel down, they backed me and motivated me. My coaches like Vikram Sidhu and Harbhajan Academy supported me a lot,' Arjun said.
His Cricketing Foundation
Arjun began his development at the Harbhajan Singh Cricket Academy in Jalandhar, where he refined both his batting and his off-spin during his formative years. He subsequently continued his progress under the guidance of coach Vikram Sidhu. The dual skill-set — left-handed batting combined with off-spin — has evidently caught the selectors' attention at the national level.
Tour Schedule and Format
India's Under-19 side will play three One-Day matches and two Multi-Day fixtures against Sri Lanka. The white-ball leg opens on 4 July in Hambantota, which will host all three one-day games. The red-ball phase follows, with the first multi-day match scheduled in Galle from 13 to 16 July and the final fixture in Colombo from 20 to 23 July.
For Jalandhar's cricketing community, Arjun Rajput's selection is a reminder that talent forged in the city's bylanes can reach the highest junior stages — and that the journey from a kulcha stall to an India call-up is one worth watching closely.
Point of View
But it also points to something structural: the Harbhajan Singh Cricket Academy in Jalandhar has quietly become a pipeline for junior talent in Punjab, and stories like Arjun's are partly its output. What mainstream coverage tends to miss is that the financial barrier to junior cricket — academies, equipment, travel — remains steep, and for every Arjun whose father held on, there are dozens who could not. The BCCI's grassroots infrastructure deserves scrutiny on exactly this point. A call-up is a milestone; the system that almost prevented it is the longer story.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arjun Rajput and why is he in the news?
Arjun Rajput is a left-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner from Jalandhar, Punjab, who has been selected in the India Under-19 squad for the Sri Lanka tour beginning 4 July. His selection has drawn attention because of his modest background — his father, Hoti Ram, earns a living making kulchas and working at a bakery.
When does the India U-19 team depart for Sri Lanka?
The India Under-19 squad departs for Sri Lanka on 4 July. The tour includes three One-Day matches in Hambantota and two Multi-Day fixtures in Galle and Colombo, running through 23 July.
Where did Arjun Rajput receive his cricket training?
Arjun began his cricketing development at the Harbhajan Singh Cricket Academy in Jalandhar and continued his progress under coach Vikram Sidhu. He credits both, along with his family, for keeping him motivated through difficult periods.
What is the full schedule for India U-19's Sri Lanka tour?
India U-19 will play three One-Day matches in Hambantota starting 4 July, followed by a multi-day match in Galle from 13 to 16 July and a final multi-day fixture in Colombo from 20 to 23 July.
What has Arjun Rajput's father said about the selection?
Hoti Ram, Arjun's father, said it was 'a very good feeling' to learn of the selection and called it 'a very special moment' for the family. He noted that Arjun has been playing cricket since the age of five and described his son as 'very talented and hardworking.'
