A formidable India Under-19 team starts as overwhelming favourites against minnows Ireland in their opening Group D league match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup, in Mirpur today. India are three-time champions. The absence of Australia, who pulled out citing security reasons, increase India's chances by manifold as the cricket-crazy nation always has had a fair chance in the age-group events. Australia's replacement team Ireland do not have any cricketer, who have played senior level representative cricket with youngest cricketer being 15-year-old Indian origin leg-spinner Varun Chopra.