Rahul Dravid confident Indian U-19 team is 'covered in all the departments'

The eleventh edition of ICC's biennial event will be held in Bangladesh from January 27 to February 14. Three-time winners India are placed in Group D with Ireland, New Zealand and Nepal.

New Delhi: Ahead of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, a confident Indian coach Rahul Dravid claimed that his team is "covered in all the departments."

Talking to BCCI.TV before team's departure for the tournament, the batting legend said “At the U-19 level, you don't have a lot of knowledge about other teams. I am not focused on who we are going to play against. We have a lot of talent in the group. We are covered in all the departments.

"We have very good spinners, all-rounders and we bat up to No. 8. It is now about executing our skills and performing under pressure. If they play up to their potential that I have seen in the last two months then we need not worry too much,” Dravid added.

The former India captain also revealed that he has asked his wards not to focus solely in winning the tournament, but to utilise this opportunity to get into the India reckoning.

“My message to them is to focus on actually improving and getting better, to grow as a cricketer and see this World Cup as an exposure they are getting at a very young age," he added.

The eleventh edition of ICC's biennial event will be held in Bangladesh from January 27 to February 14. Sixteeen teams are competing for the prestigious youth cup. And three-time winners India are placed in Group D with Ireland, New Zealand and Nepal.

Indian colts will start their campaign on January 28 against Ireland. The Ishan Kishan-led team will then play New Zealand on January 30, before the final group game against Nepal on February 1.