Cricket: IPL youngsters earn call-up to India Under-19 squad for England tour
Ayush Mhatre to lead India under-19s in England
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have revealed the Under-19 team that will jet off to England later this month, where they will play five one-day matches and two four-day Tests between June 24 and July 23.
Leading the India U-19 to the UK is 17-year-old Ayush Mhathre, who had a breakthrough season for the Chennai Super Kings after being drafted into the team as an injury replacement for team captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The teenager made an instant impact, smashing 32 runs of just 15 deliveries against the Mumbai Indians on debut and followed up with 30 off 19 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in his second match for the five-time champions.
However, Mhatre catapulted into the spotlight in his third game for the Men in Yellow, where he blasted 94 runs off just 48 balls to become the third-youngest player to record a half century in the history of the IPL. Unfortunately for the youngster, CSK lost the match, but the result confirmed our IPL prediction.
In seven games at the IPL, Mhatre scored 240 runs at an average of 34.28 and a strike rate of 188.97, while in List A cricket, he possesses a batting average of 65.42 and has two first-class centuries to his name.
The 17-year-old's performances for the Super Kings have led to him being awarded captaincy for the India U-19s tour of England, while wicketkeeper batsman Abhigyan Kundu from Mumbai will serve as the team’s vice-captain.
Rajasthan’s 14-year-old prodigy set for national team debut
The 2025 IPL was not only a breakthrough tournament for Mhathre, but it also served as the platform for 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi to burst onto the scene for the Rajasthan Royals, marking a major positive for the team in an otherwise forgettable season.
The baby-faced batsman made headlines across the globe back in April when he led the Royals to a commanding eight-wicket victory over the powerful Gujarat Titans by smashing a scintillating 101 runs off just 38 deliveries, including seven fours and a whopping 11 sixes.
Suryavanshi’s knock saw him write his name in the history books, as he became the youngest player to score a ton in a men’s T20 match, while it also went down as the fastest century by an Indian player (35 balls) - staggering achievements when considering the batting riches India possesses.
By the end of the competition, the youngster had scored 252 runs in seven innings, averaging 36.00 and striking at 206.55. He has since earned comparisons to legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar and will be looking to make his mark on the international scene later this month as part of the India U-19 top order in England.
