India U-19 has announced its squad for the upcoming red-ball and white-ball series against Australia U-19, with several promising names, including Lakshya Raichandani, Yashbardhan Chauhan and Anvay Dravid, making the cut.
One notable absentee, however, is 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
While Sooryavanshi remains eligible to play at the U-19 level, he has not featured for India U-19 since the final of the U-19 World Cup in February and was also absent from the team’s tour of Sri Lanka in June. Since then, he has taken his next step at the senior international level, playing six T20Is for India against England and Zimbabwe.
The timing of the Australia series could offer a major reason for his latest absence. The tour is scheduled from September 18 to October 5, dates that overlap with the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Sooryavanshi has been named in India’s squad for the Games and, with the cricket campaign expected to begin on September 28 and the final scheduled for October 3, he is unlikely to be available for the U-19 series.
The Asian Games commitment therefore appears to be one of the key factors behind Sooryavanshi not being included in the Australia-bound U-19 squad, although his recent elevation to the senior setup also adds context to his continued absence from the age-group side.
India U-19 vs Australia U-19 series schedule
1st ODI — September 18 — Rajkot
2nd ODI — September 21 — Rajkot
3rd ODI — September 23 — Rajokt
1st Multi-Day — September 27 to 30 — Rajkot
2nd Multi-Day — October 5 to 8 — Ahmedabad
Published on Aug 27, 2026
