Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, and Rishabh Pant: all of these current international cricketers represented India at the Men’s Under-19 ODI World Cup. Featuring for the Men in Blue at the ICC event doesn’t guarantee playing for the senior team. But it paints a picture. It shows the world and selectors that you’ve got something.
Unlike before, we are entering an age where junior cricketers are already superstars. Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut at 14. He smashed his first ball for six and registered the second-fastest IPL hundred in just his 3rd innings. Ayush Mhatre made a name for himself while opening for the Chennai Super Kings.
Expectedly, both of them will overshadow the other players part of India’s squad for the tournament being played in Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, there are lofty expectations. These two batters have dominated teams in the IPL and domestic cricket. It’s natural for viewers to assume anything other than victory is underachievement.
What to expect from India at U19 World Cup?
But is that right? One has to understand that these are youngsters. Some of them, like Suryavanshi, aren’t even 18. They have immense talent. But as evident in the Under-19 Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan, many haven’t mastered their crafts yet. They haven’t played with external expectations. Some of them will get the real taste of pressure in the ICC tournament.
The tournament would be a success for India, not just if they win but if the players learn. Just like life, you learn the most from defeat. You want your players to be tested. Play in different conditions, both tough and easy, against quality opposition.
The purpose of an Under-19 World Cup isn’t victory. It was created to provide exposure to budding cricketers, much like an ‘A’ tour provides players the opportunity to play against quality opposition, home and away. You don’t want Mhatre, Suryavanshi, Aaron George, or Abhigyan Kundu to smash hundreds or for Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, or Udhav Mohan to claim 5-wicket hauls in all matches, but you both fail and succeed.
Conditions in South Africa and Namibia will test the Indian players. In turn, you want to see how they react. How they tackle the bounce. How the weather might affect the conditions. How do you deal with spinners playing a smaller role? Who stands up when it matters. Who has the most talent versus who makes the most out of themselves despite limitations? It’s these questions you want to see the answers to.
India’s squad for Under-19 ODI World Cup 2026
Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra (vc), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Harvansh Singh (wk), R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan
India’s Under-19 ODI World Cup 2026 schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA U19 vs India U19 | January 15 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo | 1 PM |
| India U19 vs Bangladesh U19 | January 17 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo | 1 PM |
| India U19 vs New Zealand U19 | January 24 | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo | 1 PM |
