Ralphie Albert Named Captain as England U19s Prepare for Pakistan Tour

A new chapter begins for England’s Young Lions. Surrey allrounder Ralphie Albert has been handed the captaincy of an 18-player Under-19 squad heading to Pakistan this December. A fresh interim head coach, a Sri Lanka training camp and a Rawalpindi showdown are all on the horizon.

Ralphie Albert Takes the Reins

Albert will lead the England Under-19 side on a tour featuring three Youth ODIs and a four-day Youth Test. Nottinghamshire’s Farhan Ahmed has been named his deputy.

All of the matches are scheduled for Rawalpindi. It is a demanding assignment for a young group looking to make an impression on the road.

Tour Schedule at a Glance

Before the cricket in Pakistan begins, the squad will complete a 12-day training camp in Colombo, Sri Lanka. That camp runs from November 19 to November 30.

Neil Killeen Steps Up as Interim Head Coach

Former Durham seamer Neil Killeen takes charge of the Young Lions for their winter programme. He steps in after Mike Yardy moved into the role of Elite National Batting Lead within the England and Wales Cricket Board setup.

Killeen will be supported by a coaching team of Joe Denly, Steve Mullaney and Kyle Hogg. The winter schedule also includes a trip to Australia in the new year, on top of the Pakistan series.

What Killeen Said

Killeen made clear he is relishing the challenge and sees real value in exposing the players to different conditions.

“I am really looking forward to leading an exciting group of young players and coaches across their winter programme. This is an opportunity for these young players to experience new countries and conditions and for our coaching team to help develop their game in a world-class environment, which will only help in their journey towards international cricket. Sri Lanka is an excellent venue for our training camp, where we can build towards what we know will be a tough contest in Pakistan following our series in the summer.”

New Faces and Special Roles

Worcestershire left-arm seamer Jeet Varaich is among the uncapped players in the group. He receives his first call-up to the Young Lions setup, one of the notable additions this winter.

Not every player will follow the same path, though. Several have specific arrangements within the squad.

Restricted and Individual Programmes

Simpson and Symington will not travel to Pakistan with the main party. Taylor and Lumsden will link up once the squad arrives in Rawalpindi, following programmes tailored for fast bowlers rather than the standard schedule.

Full England U19 Squad for Pakistan

The full 18-player group is listed below.

• Ralphie Albert (captain)
• Farhan Ahmed (vice-captain)
• Subhaan Ali
• Robbie Bowman
• Tom Bradley
• Thomas Edwards
• Luke Hands
• Theo Lamey
• Manny Lumsden
• Bertie Michael
• Isaac Mohammad
• Joe Moores
• Jack Nelson
• Leo Selvey-Clinton
• Marley Simpson
• Luke Symington
• Charlie Taylor
• Jeet Varaich

What to Watch

With a new captain, an interim coach and a mix of experience and fresh call-ups, this tour is a proper test. Conditions in Rawalpindi will be a stern examination across both the limited-overs and red-ball formats.

The Sri Lanka camp gives the group time to gel and adapt before the Youth ODIs begin on December 5. After Pakistan, the Young Lions turn their attention to Australia in the new year.