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Vaibhav Suryavanshi named India’s new Under-19 captain for South Africa tour; Ayush Mhatre to lead in World Cup
Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been named as the captain for the tour of South Africa, while Ayush Mhatre will retain the leadership role for the World Cup.
The Junior Cricket Committee on Saturday picked the India U19 squad for the upcoming three-match one-day series against South Africa and the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 onwards. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been named as the captain for the tour of South Africa, while Ayush Mhatre will retain the leadership role for the World Cup.
Fresh off their Asia Cup campaign in the UAE, where they finished runners-up behind Pakistan last week, the India U19 team will tour South Africa for a three-match series early next year. The matches will be played between January 3 and 7 at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
Suryavanshi will lead the side as the regular captain, with Mhatre missing the tour due to a wrist injury. The 14-year-old, who serves as vice-captain of the white-ball side, has been elevated to the leadership role for the series.
Vihaan Malhotra will also miss the South Africa tour owing to a wrist injury. Both Malhotra and Mhatre will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further injury management before rejoining the squad for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup.
Mhatre will resume captaincy duties during the World Cup.
The upcoming edition of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup will feature 16 teams divided into four groups, followed by the Super Six stage, semi-finals and the final in Harare.
Five-time champions India (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022) have been placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, USA and Bangladesh. India will open their campaign against the USA on January 15 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, followed by matches against Bangladesh on January 17 at the same venue and New Zealand on January 24.
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
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.
