Big responsibility on Vaibhav Suryavanshi. (Photo- PTI)
Vaibhav Suryavanshi vs South Africa: The beginning of the year 2026 is going to be very special for the rising star of Indian cricket Vaibhav Suryavanshi. This young talent will be seen playing the first match of the new year in blue jersey, when he will take charge of the India Under-19 team. These days the Indian Under-19 team is on a tour of South Africa, which is the last stop in the preparation for the Under-19 World Cup 2026 to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Big responsibility on Vaibhav Suryavanshi
On this tour, a series of three ODI matches will be played between the Under-19 teams of the two countries. The most important thing is that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will captain India in this series. Regular captain Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of this tour due to injury, due to which Vaibhav has been given this big responsibility. This will be the first time in his career when he will captain the India Under-19 team. Besides, his debut match will also be against South Africa and he will be playing on African soil for the first time.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s batting has already made headlines. His aggressive performance in domestic cricket and Under-19 level has caught the attention of the national selectors. With this tour, he will not only show his captaincy ability, but will also want to continue his strong form before the World Cup. This series is a great opportunity for the Indian youth team to practice in foreign conditions. India is considered a strong contender in the World Cup, and the role of players like Vaibhav will be important in it.
Indian squad for South Africa tour
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (captain), Aaron George (vice-captain), Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wicketkeeper), Harvansh Singh, RS Ambareesh, Kanishk Chauhan, Khilan A Patel, Mohammad Inan, Henil Patel, Devandran Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan, Yuvraj Gohil and Rahul Kumar.
India-South Africa series schedule
January 3: 1st ODI, Willowmoor Park (Benoni)
5 January: 2nd ODI, Willowmoor Park (Benoni)
7 January: 3rd ODI, Willowmoor Park (Benoni)