The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the India U19 squad for the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026. The squad was unveiled on December 27, 2025, well ahead of the tournament, which will be hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6, 2026. As five-time champions, India will once again enter the competition as strong favourites.
Ayush Mhatre to Lead India U19
The BCCI selectors have named Ayush Mhatre as the captain of the Indian Under-19 team; Vihaan Malhotra has been appointed vice-captain. The leadership duo has impressed at the domestic and junior-level matches.
Full India U19 Squad for ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026
The 15-member squad includes Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra (vc), Abhigyan Kundu, Harvansh Singh, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, R.S. Ambrish, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Kanishk Chouhan, Mohamed Enaan, Udhav Mohan, Khilan A. Patel, Henil Patel, D. Deepesh, and Kishan Kumar Singh.
India U19 Group-Stage Match Schedule
India has been drawn into Group B of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026, alongside New Zealand, Bangladesh, and the USA.
India will begin their U19 World Cup 2026 campaign against the USA on January 15, followed by a clash with Bangladesh on January 17, and their final group-stage match against New Zealand on January 24. All three matches will be played at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
Ahead of the World Cup, the Indian U19 team will participate in a preparatory ODI series in South Africa to gain match practice against quality opposition before the main event begins.
India is currently the most successful team in U19 World Cup history, having won the title in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022, and the expectations are high that the team can mount a serious challenge for a record sixth ICC U19 World Cup title.