India U19 tour of England set for June 24: injury-hit squad finalised

India's U19 cricket team is set to tour England from June 24 to July 23, with the squad finalized despite injury setbacks.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that left-arm pacer Aditya Rana and all-rounder Khilan Patel are ruled out due to injuries sustained during the high-performance camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Rana suffered a stress fracture in his lower back, while Patel has a stress reaction in his right leg.

To fill the void, the Junior Cricket Committee named D. Deepesh and Naman Pushpak as replacements, ensuring the squad remains competitive for the red-ball tour.

Leading the side is captain Ayush Mhatre, who earned the role following impressive performances in the IPL 2025 for Chennai Super Kings. Mhatre is CSK's third-highest run-scorer with 206 runs from six innings at an average of 34.33.

Another key player to watch is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 14-year-old explosive batter who made headlines with a 35-ball century and was bought for Rs 1.1 crore by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL mega auction. His aggressive batting style is expected to be a major asset on English pitches.

Despite the injury challenges, the squad is well-balanced and ready to compete, with the BCCI and Junior Cricket Committee confident in the replacements and leadership.

Quotes and stats:
"Aditya sustained a stress fracture in his lower back, while Khilan suffered a stress reaction in his right leg during the ongoing high-performance camp at the BCCI Centre of Excellence."
"Ayush Mhatre was rewarded captaincy for the series following his heroics in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK)."
"With a match to go against GT, Mhatre is CSK's third-highest run-scorer. He scored 206 runs from six innings at an average of 34.33."
"The squad also features 14-year-old explosive batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who amassed 252 runs, including a blistering 35-ball hundred, for Rajasthan Royals in the last IPL."

India's U19 cricket squad for the England tour starting June 24 has been finalized despite injuries to key players Aditya Rana and Khilan Patel. Replacements D. Deepesh and Naman Pushpak join captain Ayush Mhatre and IPL star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the squad, announced by BCCI.