Ayush Mhatre received a special gift from Sachin Tendulkar as the cricket legend handed over his Test jersey to the youngster following India’s victory in the U-19 World Cup. Mhatre, who captains India’s U19 team, returned to Mumbai after a landmark victory in Zimbabwe where his team secured Under-19 World Cup title defeating England in the final. The triumph marked India’s record sixth title in the tournament.
On his return, Mhatre was visited by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who honored him with a gift. Tendulkar presented his Test jersey to Mhatre, accompanied by a handwritten note. The Indians legend revealed to the youngster that it was the jersey he wore during his finals series as he wanted to motivate the youngster to step up to the senior team.
“Keep working hard. Stay focused. Don’t get carried away by people. Keep practicing. There has to be focus. There will be a lot of distractions, whatever they are,” Tendulkar said in the Mhatre video.
Tendulkar also had a special message for Mhatre on the jersey which read:
“Dear Ayushi, I wish you the best of luck in your career.
Mhatre shared the moment on social media and expressed his delight at receiving the gift from the cricket legend.
“I grew up watching you through the 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 it with the same respect you have carried Indian cricket with over the years.”
MHATRE LEADS FROM THE FRONT
Indian Under-19 Team received a warm welcome upon returning home. In Virar, Mhatre was welcomed by family, friends and neighbors while teammate Udhav Mohan also received a hero’s welcome in New Delhi. The celebrations reflected pride in their achievement and the impact of their World Cup victory.
Throughout the tournament, Mhatre led from the front, especially in the knockout stages. He scored 53 off 51 balls in the final against England and 62 off 59 balls in the semi-final against Afghanistan. During the tournament, he amassed 214 runs in seven innings, finishing at an average of 30.57 and becoming India’s fourth highest run-scorer in the competition.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi proved to be an outstanding performer and won the Player of the Tournament award. He made 439 runs, including a remarkable 175 in the final, which featured 15 fours and 15 sixes.
– The end
Published on:
February 10, 2026
