India Under-19 captain Ayush Mhatre received a deeply meaningful gesture from Sachin Tendulkar after leading his side to World Cup glory, with the cricket legend gifting the youngster his own Test jersey following India’s title triumph in Zimbabwe.
Mhatre returned to Mumbai after guiding India to a record-extending sixth Under-19 World Cup crown, secured with a victory over England in the final. Soon after, the young skipper met Tendulkar, who honoured him with a personal memento, the Test jersey he wore during his final international series.
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The gift came with a handwritten note and words of advice aimed at inspiring Mhatre’s journey towards the senior Indian team. In a video shared online, Tendulkar urged the youngster to stay grounded and focused despite the attention that comes with success.
“Keep working hard. Focus. Don’t get carried away by people. Keep practising. Focus has to be there. There will be plenty of distractions, whatever they may be,” Tendulkar told him.
The message written on the jersey read:
“Dear Ayush, wishing you all the success in your career.”
Mhatre shared the moment on social media, expressing his gratitude and emotion at receiving such a symbolic gift from one of the game’s greatest icons.
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“I grew up watching you through a screen. Today, I stand at your home, holding a piece of your journey in my hands,” Mhatre wrote. “Thank you, Sir, for this honour. I will carry this with the same respect you carried Indian cricket for years.”
Ayush Mhatre leads from the front
The triumphant Under-19 squad was accorded a warm welcome on their return home. In Virar, Mhatre was greeted by family, friends and neighbours, while teammate Udhav Mohan received a hero’s reception in New Delhi, reflecting the pride surrounding India’s World Cup success.
Mhatre played a key role throughout the tournament, especially in the knockout stages. He struck a composed 53 off 51 balls in the final against England and followed it up with 62 off 59 deliveries in the semi-final against Afghanistan. Across seven innings, he scored 214 runs at an average of 30.57, finishing as India’s fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the standout performer of the competition, earning the Player of the Tournament award. He amassed 439 runs, highlighted by a sensational 175 in the final, an innings studded with 15 fours and 15 sixes.
