The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India Under-19 squad for the ICC Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026, which will be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6. Ayush Mhatre, a dynamic opener from Mumbai, has been named captain, with Vihaan Malhotra as his deputy.
The squad includes 14-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose aggressive strokeplay has caught the attention of many in domestic and youth cricket. Sooryavanshi, a left-handed batsman who also plays for Bihar in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), made his first-class debut in January 2024. He is the youngest Indian List A debutant and the youngest to debut in the Indian Premier League.
Before the World Cup, the team will tour South Africa for a three-match One-Day series in Benoni. Sooryavanshi will captain the side in South Africa, with Aaron George as vice-captain. Mhatre and Malhotra will miss the South Africa tour due to wrist injuries and will rehabilitate at the BCCI Centre of Excellence before rejoining the team for the World Cup.
The India U19 squad for the ICC Men's U19 World Cup 2026 is as follows: Ayush Mhatre (C), Vihaan Malhotra (VC), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 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 squad for the South Africa tour is: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (C), Aaron George (VC), 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, Yuvraj Gohil, Rahul Kumar.
The ICC Men's U19 World Cup 2026 will feature 16 teams divided into four groups, followed by a Super Six stage, semi-finals, and a final in Harare. Five-time champions India (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022) are in Group B with New Zealand, the USA, and Bangladesh. India will begin their campaign against the USA on January 15 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, followed by matches against Bangladesh on January 17 at the same venue and New Zealand on January 24.
Sooryavanshi has already made a name for himself in youth cricket. In September 2024, he made his debut for India under-19 against Australia under-19s, scoring a 58-ball century, the fastest for an Indian under-19 player, before being run out for 104. In November 2025, he smashed 144 runs off just 42 balls playing for India A against the United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup Rising Stars T20 match. He scored his century off just 32 balls.
With a blend of youth and experience, India aims for a record sixth title at the U19 World Cup. Key players include wicketkeeper-batters Abhigyan Kundu and Harvansh Singh, all-rounders like Mohamed Enaan, and promising pacers such as D. Deepesh.
