The Junior Cricket Committee has named India Under-19 squads for a three-match ODI series in South Africa and the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The World Cup will take place from January 15 to February 6, with 16 teams divided into four groups. The tournament will go 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 open their campaign against the US on January 15, followed by Bangladesh on January 17. The final group match against New Zealand will be played in Bulawayo on January 24.
Ayush Mhatre has been named the World Cup captain 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 include RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh and Udhav Mohan.
For the preliminary ODI series in South Africa, Vaibhav Suryavanshi will lead the side, with Aaron George as vice-captain. The touring squad closely mirrors the World Cup group, with Yuvraj Gohil and Rahul Kumar added to strengthen the depth.
Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra will miss the South Africa series due to wrist injuries. Both players are undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence and are expected to rejoin the squad in time for the World Cup.
The two-team approach underlines India’s focus on preparation, with leadership responsibilities shared throughout the tour and main event. The South African ODIs are expected to help the team adapt 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), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A. Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan
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