India clinched the U19 World Cup 2026 title in February this year. Under the captaincy of Ayush Mhatre, India lifted the trophy for a record-extending sixth time. The final against England turned out to be a thrilling contest, with batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stealing the show with a magnificent 175-run knock. Mhatre also contributed 53 runs, helping India post a mammoth 411/9 in 50 overs. In response, England put up a spirited fight but were eventually bowled out for 311, handing India a comprehensive 100-run victory.
Recently, India U19 captain Mhatre reflected on his World Cup-winning experience and revealed that he had stopped using social media to maintain focus on his game. Speaking to former India opener Aakash Chopra on his podcast, Mhatre said that he had handed over his Instagram account to his cousin to avoid distractions.
“I have given my Instagram account to my cousin. I do not use it a lot. If there is some important message, then he shows it to me and tells me to reply. There is always pressure because if people are expecting from me, I know there is something good in me. My dream is to win the World Cup, obviously and play for a long time for India and win games,” he said.
Mhatre, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, also scored his maiden Ranji Trophy century for Mumbai against Maharashtra during the 2024-25 season.
“That was life-changing. It is a reputed team. Everyone was in the team when I made that hundred. Shreyas, Surya, Shardul, Rahane. It was my first first-class hundred and it boosted my confidence a lot. It is very memorable for me,” he said.
Mhatre is regarded as one of India’s most promising young talents and is known for his explosive batting. In 2025, he was signed by Chennai Super Kings and has been an integral part of the five-time IPL champions ever since.
Recalling his first meeting with MS Dhoni, Mhatre revealed that he was initially hesitant to approach the legendary former captain.
“I saw Mahi bhai live for the first time and I actually got scared. Even now, it is there a bit. He talks freely, but he is a legend. I wanted to get a picture with him but could not understand how to approach him. It was the last day of the trials, and then I just went. I got a picture with him then. I did not talk to him as such. It was only the picture,” he said.
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