14-year-old prodigy’s record knock caps dream tournament, but future U-19 appearances ruled out
February 7, 2026: Vaibhav Suryavanshi underlined his status as Indian cricket’s newest sensation with a breathtaking performance in the Under-19 World Cup final on Friday night. The 14-year-old smashed a remarkable 175 off just 80 balls, powering India to a massive 411/9 in 50 overs. England fought back but were eventually bowled out for 311, handing India a dominant victory. Suryavanshi’s extraordinary tournament saw him claim both Player of the Final and Player of the Tournament honours, a rare achievement at such a young age.
At just 14 years and 317 days, Suryavanshi remains well within the age bracket to feature in future U-19 World Cups, including the 2028 and 2030 editions. However, he will not participate in them due to a policy adopted by the BCCI in 2026. As per the decision, players entering the Under-19 system are allowed to play a maximum of two seasons of U-19 cricket, effectively barring anyone who has already represented India in one U-19 World Cup from appearing in another, regardless of age eligibility.
While no formal explanation was issued, the move is widely linked to concerns raised by former India coach Rahul Dravid during his tenure at the National Cricket Academy. Dravid had strongly criticised age-fudging in junior cricket, calling it “dangerous and toxic,” and warning that normalising dishonesty at a young age could lead to deeper ethical issues later in a player’s career. In the past, several Indian cricketers such as Ravindra Jadeja, Avesh Khan and Sarfaraz Khan featured in multiple U-19 World Cups, a trend the BCCI now appears determined to curb.