The India U-19 team, under the leadership of Ayush Mhatre, commenced their U-19 World Cup 2026 campaign against the USA on January 15 in Bulawayo. All eyes are set on Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old batting sensation, as he aims to make a significant impact on the global stage.
India, a five-time champion, enters the tournament as a strong contender. However, the spotlight shines brightest on Suryavanshi, who at just 14 years old, possesses the potential to disrupt opposition strategies with his fearless, left-handed batting. When he finds his rhythm, he canSingle-handedly turn matches around. It will be interesting to see not just his power-hitting but also his smart shot selection, blending quick singles with boundary bursts.
Suryavanshi has already demonstrated his capabilities, including a 38-ball century in the IPL 2025 for Rajasthan Royals, the fastest 150 in men's List A cricket off 59 deliveries, and India's second-highest Youth ODI score of 171 off 95 balls. His coach, Manish Ojha, noted that Suryavanshi has always seen cricket as just a game and never takes pressure, a mindset that has defined his rise.
In a warm-up match against Scotland leading up to the World Cup, Suryavanshi warmed up for the campaign by scoring a Player of the Match-worthy 96 off 50 balls. His innings included nine boundaries and seven sixes, helping India U-19 post a total of 374/8. Before that, he had a fifty and a hundred in the Youth ODI series against South Africa.
Suryavanshi's journey to the U19 World Cup has been marked by impressive performances. In the U19 Asia Cup, he scored 262 runs, averaging over 50 with a strike rate of 182. He also broke the record for the quickest Youth ODI century, reaching 171 from 95 balls against the UAE. He finished 2025 as India's leading run-scorer in Youth ODIs, amassing 690 runs at an average of 57.50 and a strike rate of 160.09, including two centuries and two half-centuries.
Adding to his achievements, Suryavanshi holds the record for the second and third-fastest centuries in Youth ODIs. He also led India U19 to a 3-0 series win over South Africa in an away Youth ODI series, where he was the top scorer with 206 runs.
Alongside Suryavanshi, other key players to watch out for in the Indian squad include captain Ayush Mhatre, Abhigyan Kundu, Kanishk Chouhan and D. Deepesh. Mhatre is known for his tempo control and ability to convert starts into decisive contributions. Kundu offers dual value as a wicketkeeper who can stabilize innings or attack aggressively. Chouhan's off-spin all-round abilities make him a key tactical weapon. Deepesh is a disciplined bowler who can dominate early and control the game.
The match between India U-19 and USA U-19 commenced at 1 PM IST at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. India won the toss and elected to bowl first.
