Will Young's rise in international cricket has been steady in the last couple of years. His consistency stands out irrespective of the challenges thrown by varying conditions and it is this quality which can take him even higher in the game.
Young's grit in battling odds makes him a valuable asset for his team, New Zealand, across formats. He was the Player of the Series in the Tests in India last year and he also stood out in the Black Caps' win over Pakistan in the opening game of ongoing Champions Trophy.
The hard work Young put in and the grind he went through during his early years under the supervision of his coach seems to be paying him rich dividends. And herein lies a Calcutta connection behind the New Zealander's growth and progress in cricket.
Debu Banik, who hails from Haridevpur in South Calcutta, was the one who spotted Young when he was playing U-12 cricket. A former cricketer himself, Banik currently resides in New Plymouth, a city on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
“Will was 11 years old when I came across him at the U-12 level for Taranaki province. Along with his talent and hard work, what I also noticed was his honesty and sincerity. He was ready to invest quality time in cricket,” Banik, who has played for Kalighat, Customs and ABP SC among other Calcutta-based clubs, recalled.
In late 2021, on his first Test tour of India itself, Young had impressed with an 89 in Kanpur. He didn’t quite have an outstanding run in Tests thereafter. But last year, the 32-year-old made fine use of the opportunities on Indian soil in Kane Williamson’s absence with some crucial innings in New Zealand's unbelievable 3-0 sweep. The scores of 71 and 51 in the final Test on a raging turner at the Wankhede deserve special mention.
Young had come to India even as a New Zealand ‘A’ player back in 2017. But he began honing his skills in tackling spin much before that, training at the Jain International School in Bengaluru in 2013 with Banik facilitating the arrangement.
“I had taken Will and three others at the Jain International School in Bengaluru for a 21-day camp. He had already started playing first-class cricket for Central Districts then and also captained New Zealand in the U-19 World Cup the year before. The idea of that tour was to make him and the others practise mainly against spin,” Banik said, adding: “Will is basically a conventional player who relies more on weight transfer and timing.
“Talent aside, his mental capacity also helps him in making the adjustments. And this is possible if you spend a huge amount of time at nets with attention to details.”
Young has four centuries in limited-overs cricket so far. The latest coming against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy opener, when his neatly compiled 107 off 113 balls headlined New Zealand's 60-run win.
What was the coach’s advice to Young going into the Champions Trophy? “I just told him to stay calm and composed,” Banik emphasised.
Stepping in for Rachin Ravindra, who was injured, Young did exactly so in Karachi last Wednesday. His coach, though, believes he can fare even better.