India are the most successful side of the tournament.
India U19 have qualified for the Super Six of the ICC U19 World Cup after back-to-back victories against the United States of America (USA) and Bangladesh. But legendary Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has reminded the youngsters of their recent thrashing defeat in the U19 Asia Cup summit clash before stepping into the knockouts.
The former Indian batter backed the young bunch, comprising Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, to clinch yet another U19 silverware for India. But he also noted their massive 191-run loss against Pakistan in the final of the subcontinental league.
The right-hander explained that winning and losing are both part of the game, but their ability to adapt to the different formats will be the key going forward in the tournament.
“There’s plenty of hopes on the Indian lads, having won five times earlier, to win the trophy once again. It’s their temperament which is going to make the difference in the crucial games. What was seen in the recent final of the Asia Cup was a disastrous disappointment,” wrote Gavaskar on Mid-Day.
The former batter believes that while the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped many budding players to become international stars, it has also impacted their gameplay to evolve more into a power-hitting approach. Gavaskar also emphasised how the majority of the India U19 players were dismissed due to their poor shot selection in the latest final.
“It’s important for a senior player and mentor to tell them that however ordinary the attack, one mistake can mean you are back in the dugout. Let’s hope that they forget thoughts of IPL and focus on the job at hand and that is to win the Trophy once again,” he added.
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The Rajasthan Royals (RR) prodigy has made a brilliant comeback after a forgettable outing in the U19 World Cup 2026 opener. His gritty 72-run knock, followed by a commendable 80 from the wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu, helped them beat the 2020 champions Bangladesh in tough conditions.
But India U19 skipper Ayush Mhatre is yet to get back among the runs. After an underwhelming Asia Cup campaign, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) youngster registered just 25 runs in the initial two innings. Fans would hope for the Mumbai batter to soon be back to his rhythm as India would look to claim their sixth ICC U19 title.
Apart from them, the new Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) recruit Vihaan Malhotra has also impressed with the ball in their latest clash against Bangladesh. His stunning four-wicket haul proved to be match-winning in a tense finish as India U19 secured the game by 18 runs (DLS). However, the side will play their last league-stage fixture against New Zealand on January 24.
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