The 16th edition of the men’s Under-19 World Cup begins on January 15, and India enter the tournament as the favourites to lift the title for a record-extending sixth time. India, the most succesful country in the tournament’s history, are pooled in Group B alongside Bangladesh (two titles), New Zealand, and the USA. The Boys in Blue will kick off the tournament, which will be hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia, with the Group B clash against the USA, at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
For around three weeks, young cricketers from the top cricket nations and talented youngsters from up-and-coming teams will be engaged in high-octane action.
Here’s a look at some of the exciting young Indians who will be in action in the marquee event.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Arguably the biggest name in junior cricket around the world, Sooryavanshi is coming off a spectacular year, where he broke and set a plethora of records. At just 14, Sooryavanshi is already a force to be reckoned with. The Bihar batter attracted widespread attention by smashing a 38-ball 101 for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Image credit: PTI
He has not looked back since the career-defining knock. Sooryavanshi further enhanced his reputation by taking both youth and domestic cricket by storm. The explosive opener recently scored the fastest 150 in men’s List A cricket, off 59 balls, the second-highest Youth ODI score for India (171 off 95 balls), and the joint-sixth-fastest hundred in men’s T20 cricket. By this rate, he is set to make more history at the Under-19 World Cup.
Ayush Mhatre
India’s captain, Mhatre, has already made a mark in senior cricket and the IPL. He grabbed eyeballs by scoring his maiden first-class ton in his domestic red-ball debut last season, reaching the three-figure mark in the Ranji Trophy in just his third game. A few months later, he made heads turn with a swashbuckling 181 off 117 balls in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the run-up to the Under-19 World Cup, he scored back-to-back centuries for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
(Photo credit – X/@BCCI)
I hate Malhotra
Talented southpaw and India’s vice-captain, Vihaan Malhotra, is another one to watch out for. The top-order batter recently shone in the Under-19 Asia Cup with his match-winning, unbeaten 61 in the semifinal, cementing his status as one of the most reliable and composed batters in he line-up. Signed by RCB for IPL 2026, Malhotra will be a vital cog in India’s batting order at the U-19 World Cup.
Happy birthday to Vihaan Malhotra🎉
Our U19 sensation ❤️#RCB pic.twitter.com/DtZWbElN2y
— RCB Xtra (@Rcb_Xtra) January 1, 2026
Aaron George
The Hyderabad batter, who was born in Kerala, was one of the standout performers for India in the recent U-19 World Cup. He stood tall and showed his class against Pakistan in the continental tournament. On a day when star performers like Sooryvanshi and Mhatre failed to fire, George took the mantle and played a mature knock of 85 to steady the ship for his team.
Image credit: X/@BCCI
He has been rising through the junior ranks in recent years. George aggregated 341 and 373 runs in the last two seasons of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy and cemented himself as Hyderabad’s most consistent batter at the under-19 level. His ability to stay calm under pressure makes George a key member of the Indian squad.
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