BCCI announces India's U-19 World Cup 2026 squad, Vaibhav Suryavanshi included, Ayush Mhatre to lead

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced India's Under-19 World Cup 2026 squad on Saturday, December 27. Ayush Mhatre has been named the captain of the squad. Mhatre, who has already gained considerable attention as a standout prospect for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is expected to bring his high-level experience to the captaincy. He will be supported by Vihaan Malhotra, who has been appointed as the team’s vice-captain for the duration of the tournament. But all eyes will be Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who will also bolster the India's 15-member squad.

India's U-19 World Cup squad announced

The upcoming 2026 edition of the U-19 World Cup, co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, will feature 16 teams divided into four groups. The tournament follows a structured path where the top three teams from each group progress to the Super Six stage, eventually narrowing down to four teams for the high-stakes semifinals.

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India, the most successful team in the tournament’s history with five titles (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022), has been placed in Group A alongside New Zealand, the USA, and Bangladesh. The defending champions will kick off their campaign against the USA on January 15 in Bulawayo. This will be followed by a clash against Bangladesh on January 17 at the same venue, and a final group-stage encounter against New Zealand on January 24.

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Coming off a tough loss to Pakistan in the Asia Cup final, the Indian side is looking to fine-tune their form with a three-match ODI series in South Africa immediately preceding the World Cup. However, the squad faces a minor setback as captain Ayush Mhatre and vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra have been ruled out of the South Africa series due to injuries. In their absence, the young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been appointed to lead the team for the pre-tournament tour.

India U19 squad for ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026:

Ayush Mhatre (C), Vihaan Malhotra (VC), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 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

India’s squad for South Africa tour:

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (C), Aaron George (VC), 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, Yuvraj Gohil, Rahul Kumar