India U19 Squads Announced for South Africa ODIs and Under-19 World Cup 2026
India name U19 squads for South Africa ODIs and 2026 U19 World Cup, with Mhatre to lead India’s title bid.
The Junior Cricket Committee has named India Under-19 squads for a three-match ODI series in South Africa and the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The World Cup will run from January 15 to February 6, with 16 teams split into four groups. The tournament will move through the Super Six stage, semi-finals and final, all scheduled in Harare.
India, five-time champions, are placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, USA and Bangladesh. They will open their campaign against USA on January 15, followed by Bangladesh on January 17. The final group match against New Zealand will be played on January 24 in Bulawayo.
Ayush Mhatre has been named captain for the World Cup, with Vihaan Malhotra as his deputy. The squad includes Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu and Harvansh Singh as wicketkeeping options.
Other members of the World Cup squad are R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh and Udhav Mohan.
For the preparatory ODI series in South Africa, Vaibhav Suryavanshi will lead the side, with Aaron George as vice-captain. The tour squad closely mirrors the World Cup group, with Yuvraj Gohil and Rahul Kumar added to strengthen depth.
Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra will miss the South Africa series due to wrist injuries. Both players are undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and are expected to rejoin the squad in time for the World Cup.
The dual-squad approach underlines India’s focus on preparation, with leadership responsibilities shared across the tour and the main event. The South Africa ODIs are expected to help the team adjust to African conditions ahead of the global tournament.
India U19 Squad for ICC Men’s U19 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
