On Saturday, Ayush Mhatre was selected captain of the 15-man Indian team for the U-19 World Cup, which will take place in Namibia and Zimbabwe from January 15 to February 6 of the next year.
However, because of their individual wrist injuries, Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra would miss the previous assignment to South Africa, a three-match ODI series.
While they are away, batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi will lead India on their tour of South Africa, where the three One-Day Internationals will take place in Benoni on January 3, 5, and 7. The vice-captain will be Aaron George.
Before joining the Indian team, Mhatre and Malhotra, who has been selected vice-captain for the U19 World Cup, will both report to the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru for additional injury treatment. George and Suryavanshi have also been included in the U19 World Cup squad.
“Ayush Mhatre and Vihaan Malhotra have sustained wrist injuries and will miss the South Africa tour,” the BCCI said in a statement.
“The duo will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further management of their injuries and will join the team for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup,” it added.
In the forthcoming ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, 16 teams will compete in four groups before moving on to the Super Six stage, semi-finals, and final in Harare.
Along with New Zealand, the United States, and Bangladesh, five-time winners India (2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2022) have been assigned to Group B.
India’s campaign will start on January 15 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo against the United States. They will then play Bangladesh on January 17 at the same venue and New Zealand on January 24.
Squads:
For South Africa tour: Vaibhav Suryavanshi (C), Aaron George (VC), Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Harvansh Singh (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan, Yuvraj Gohil, Rahul Kumar
For U19 World Cup: Ayush Mhatre (c), Vihaan Malhotra (vc), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Aaron George, Vedant Trivedi, Abhigyan Kundu (wk), Harvansh Singh (wk), RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan A Patel, Mohamed Enaan, Henil Patel, D Deepesh, Kishan Kumar Singh, Udhav Mohan
