The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has today announced the India U-19 squad for the upcoming ICC Men's U-19 Cricket World Cup 2026, which will be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6. Ayush Mhatre will captain the side, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been named the captain for the preceding tour of South Africa.
India, a five-time champion of the tournament (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022), will be placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, USA, and Bangladesh. They 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. The tournament will feature 16 teams divided into four groups, followed by a Super Six stage, semi-finals, and the final in Harare.
India U-19 World Cup Squad:
- Ayush Mhatre (Captain)
- Vihaan Malhotra (Vice-Captain)
- R.S. Ambrish
- Kanishk Chouhan
- D. Deepesh
- Mohamed Enaan
- Aaron George
- Abhigyan Kundu (Wicket-keeper)
- Udhav Mohan
- Henil Patel
- Khilan A. Patel
- Harvansh Singh (Wicket-keeper)
- Kishan Kumar Singh
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- Vedant Trivedi
Prior to the World Cup, the India U-19 team will tour South Africa for a three-match One-Day series in Benoni. Notably, Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra have sustained wrist injuries and will miss the South Africa tour. They will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further management of their injuries and will join the team for the ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup. In their absence, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will lead the team in South Africa.
