Yashbardhan’s remarkable rise to India Under-19 captaincy:Scored 1,000 runs without a six; Rahul Dravid’s son joins his squad

In December 2021, during the Under-13 Inter-Divisional Trophy in Indore, a 13-year-old batter from Gwalior stunned spectators with an extraordinary innings of 425 runs off 248 balls, including 87 boundaries. The youngster, Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan, followed it up with scores of 235 and 391 in the next two matches. Across just four games, he amassed 1,091 runs without hitting a single six, striking 197 fours instead. Four years later, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Yashbardhan as captain of the India Under-19 team for its upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. Outstanding all-round performance earns captaincy A right-handed batter and off-break bowler, Yashbardhan recently delivered a remarkable all-round performance in the 2025–26 Cooch Behar Trophy. In eight matches, he claimed 57 wickets while also scoring 550 runs at an impressive average of 42.31. His consistency with both bat and ball earned him the Player of the Series award and a place in the national Under-19 squad. Under his leadership, India Under-19 will play three One-Day matches and two multi-day fixtures in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, beginning on July 4, 2026. Rahul Dravid’s son Anvay also included in squad Among the players selected for the tour is 17-year-old Anvay Dravid, the younger son of former India captain Rahul Dravid. A wicketkeeper-batter, Anvay, recently captained Karnataka’s Under-19 team in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, scoring 220 runs in six innings. His unbeaten 82 against Himachal Pradesh helped secure victory and drew widespread praise. He had earlier announced himself with a century in the Under-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy and has now earned selection in the India Under-19 team, where he will play under Yashbardhan’s captaincy. “I focused on basics, not big hits” Speaking about his record-breaking innings, Yashbardhan said that when he scored 425 runs at the age of 13, his emphasis was on strong fundamentals and building a long innings. “My coach always taught me that red-ball cricket is about solid technique and patience. Instead of trying to clear the boundary, I focused on extending my innings, which is why I did not hit a single six,” he said. Yashbardhan added that he joined a cricket academy at the age of six and considers his father his biggest inspiration. A student of The Scindia School in Gwalior, he balanced academics and cricket training, although his busy playing schedule prevented him from appearing for his Class 12 board examinations this year. He credited his family’s constant encouragement, saying his father never allowed him to become complacent and always motivated him to aim higher. Coach say leadership qualities were visible early Coach Lavkesh Choudhary recalled that Yashbardhan joined his academy at the age of six or seven and displayed exceptional passion for cricket from the outset. He revealed that Yashbardhan scored a century in his Under-13 debut at just nine years old and demonstrated natural leadership qualities, prompting the coaching staff to groom him as a captain. According to Choudhary, successful performances in divisional and state-level tournaments eventually paved the way for Yashvardhan’s appointment as India Under-19 captain. The coach also credited improved cricket infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh, BCCI support, and the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) for creating opportunities for emerging players in the state. Father recognized his talent early Yashbardhan’s father, a businessman in Gwalior and a former club-level leg-spinner, said his son began playing with his cricket bat when he was around six years old. Recognizing the child’s interest in the sport, he took him to a coach, who immediately noticed his natural grip and technique and recommended enrolling him in a cricket academy. That decision marked the beginning of Yashbardhan’s journey from a promising youngster in Gwalior to captain of India’s Under-19 cricket team.