The upcoming Under-19 World Cup marks another leadership shift for India’s youth cricket set-up, with Ayush Mhatre set to captain the national side for the 2026 edition, scheduled across Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15. The announcement positions Mhatre at the centre of India’s title ambitions after a strong run in continental competition, while also reinforcing the team’s belief in continuity despite injury setbacks.
Injury cloud over top leadership ahead of SA youth ODIs
India will enter the preparatory phase against South Africa without their designated World Cup captain and vice-captain. Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra are currently sidelined due to wrist injuries, ruling them out of the bilateral series. They will instead report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for medical oversight and rehabilitation. The decision to send both players to the CoE was framed internally as a precautionary and structured recovery plan, with the medical staff prioritising workload management and long-term readiness over short-term involvement.
The players were quoted by team sources as being committed to following the rehab programme under supervision, and the plan was designed to ensure their availability for the World Cup without rushing their return. Malhotra, who was also quoted in indirect form in reports, was understood to be focusing on strengthening his wrist and gradually resuming cricket-specific movement drills at the CoE.
Benoni ODIs to set tempo before World Cup opener
South Africa Under-19 will host India for three youth ODIs on January 3, 5, and 7 in Benoni. These matches will act as India’s final competitive hit-out before the World Cup begins on January 15. With Mhatre unavailable, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been appointed captain for the series, while Aaron George will serve as vice-captain. The team management’s communication around Suryavanshi’s captaincy emphasised clarity in roles, urging the squad to use the series to sharpen decision-making under pressure.
The tournament captaincy call for the bilateral series also rewards Suryavanshi’s strong form. He was part of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) this season, where he produced one of the standout innings of the competition, smashing 190 runs for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh, including a boundary-heavy knock that showcased control and acceleration.
Asia Cup spark and record runs push young batters into spotlight
Mhatre had led India to the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai earlier this month, a campaign that strengthened his leadership profile. Meanwhile, Suryavanshi finished the tournament with 261 runs in five games, emerging as India’s second-highest run-scorer. Abhigyan Kundu, the tournament’s leading scorer with 271 runs, features in both squads for the South Africa ODIs and the World Cup. Kundu was quoted in tournament meetings as being focused on keeping the same intent against pace and spin, carrying forward the momentum into the next assignments.
The Asia Cup performances were repeatedly referenced by team insiders as evidence of India’s batting engine firing even when conditions slowed down, particularly highlighting the team’s ability to rebuild innings after early wickets.
World Cup structure and Group B challenge
The 2026 Under-19 World Cup will feature 16 teams divided into four groups of four. The top three sides from each group will progress to the Super Six round, forming two groups of six. The top two from each of those groups will qualify for the semi-finals, leading into the final scheduled for February 6 in Harare.
India are placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, the USA, and Bangladesh. They will open their campaign on January 15 against the USA in Bulawayo, followed by clashes with Bangladesh on January 17 and New Zealand on January 24. The team strategy documents prepared ahead of the tournament, as discussed internally, frame the opening games as key to securing early points and controlling net run rate before tougher opposition in the Super Six phase.
India’s U-19 squad for upcoming assignments
India’s 15-member squad for the World Cup includes Ayush Mhatre as captain, Vihaan Malhotra as vice-captain, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wicketkeeper), Harvansh Singh (wicketkeeper), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, and Udhav Mohan.
For the South Africa youth tour, the 15-member squad will be led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi (captain) and Aaron George (vice-captain), with George taking over leadership responsibilities in the bilateral series in the absence of Mhatre and Malhotra.