U-19 World Cup 2026: Concerns grow as India captain Ayush Mhatre’s modest Youth ODI numbers raise questions.
India’s Under-19 ODI captain, Ayush Mhatre, has experienced two contrasting phases in his cricketing career. At the higher level, through domestic T20 and red-ball fixtures, Mhatre has enjoyed considerable success for Mumbai. Even in his maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) stint with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the opener impressed while batting under pressure.
However, once Mhatre returns to the Under-19 setup, he appears to be a different player. He carries a modest record of 168 runs in 16 U-19 ODI innings at an average of 10.5, with a highest score of 38. Since the beginning of 2025, the opening batter has managed only 113 runs in 13 youth ODI innings at an average of 8.69.
Even in the ongoing Under-19 World Cup 2026, Mhatre made a struggling start. The positive, though, lies in the quality shots he plays at times, indicating that he does possess the skill and temperament to deliver under pressure.
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Ayush Mhatre takes off in Mumbai’s hard grind approach
At just 18, it is remarkable how early Mhatre picks up the length of the ball to execute his favourite pull shot. That ability highlights his excellent timing and judgement of length. It is therefore no surprise that he is progressing rapidly in his career. After dominating Mumbai’s competitive age-group cricket, he has now gone on to make his state debut across all three formats.
At the age of 17, Mahtre even shared the dressing room of the Super Kings. Later in the same year, he became the captain of India’s squad for the U-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
There was an instance when Dilip Vengsarkar, the cricket advisor of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), saw Mhatre opening the batting in an Under-12 game. Vengsarkar then advised the youngster’s father to leave the batter at the academy and entrust his development to the association.
Mhatre’s attacking ability has been evident, particularly his power when going down the ground, which has become his signature strength. It is a rare skill to hit a six off the back foot over long-on or straight back past the bowler; but Mhatre has shown that ability at a young age. Much of it stems from his role model, Rohit Sharma.
CSK’s head coach, Stephen Fleming, and batting coach, Michael Hussey, were impressed with the batter in the trials. They even signed Mhatre before he debuted in a domestic T20 game. He scored 32 off 15 balls on his IPL debut in front of his home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium.
Three matches later, he hammered 94 off 48 balls against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). This ensured his retention for the 2026 season. Later, in the 13 T20 innings for the Mumbai side, he scored 565 runs at a strike rate of 175.46. Mhatre averages 56.50 in T20s, thanks to his two fifties and as many centuries.
In the domestic red-ball format, the Mumbai batter has recorded 660 runs with two half-centuries and two centuries. List-A cricket seems to be his most suited format as of now, with 458 runs in seven innings at 65.42.
Mhatre wasn’t part of India’s U-19 probables in 2024. His strong performances in the 2024–25 season paved the way for his return to the setup and eventual appointment as captain.
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Ayush Mhatre’s struggle in U-19 World Cup 2026
India have already qualified for the Super Six stage of the ongoing U-19 World Cup 2026. They earned two consecutive victories in the group stage against USA and Bangladesh. Heading into their next fixture against New Zealand, the focus remains on Mhatre, who returned with scores of 19 and 6, respectively.
In the opening game, the Mumbai-born was bounced out against Rishabh Shimpi’s short ball. The batter swiveled across onto the pull shot and didn’t bother to keep the ball down as it went flying to the long leg region. That was when Amrinder Gill grabbed a fine catch to send the India captain back to the pavilion.
Two days later, he fell for just six runs in 12 balls against Bangladesh. It was against a short ball on the wide line as Mhatre was on his toes and looked to cut it over the infield. But he didn’t get the expected elevation and timing. It resulted in the batter chipping it back to the point fielders’ throat for a simple catch.
India have struggled to get a strong start due to this Mhatre’s inability to perform. His opening partnership with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in youth ODIs averages 19.46 since the beginning of 2025. Together, they have collected only 253 runs in 13 innings, registering only two half-centuries. Mhatre’s situation, therefore, is a massive concern for the management.
Mhatre needs to spend more time at the crease in the next game. It is important for him to respect the good deliveries and avoid playing too many shots early in the innings. He could also work a bit on his bat swing, especially in preparing for balls on the fourth- and fifth-stump line. India need him to make meaningful contributions at the top of the order.
Ayush Mhatre carries the dual responsibility of leading the side and delivering with the bat. To handle that, he needs to freshen up his mindset and come up with a clear plan against the Kiwis. India’s final group-stage clash of the U-19 World Cup will take place on January 24 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
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