‘Batting with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is fun’:U-19 WC star Aaron George reveals AB de Villiers admiration, Team India aspirations

Aaron George was one of the most important players in India’s U-19 World Cup title win earlier this year. A rock-solid batter, George was a picture of calm and class at the top of the order in India’s victorious campaign. India won the trophy for a record-extending sixth time. The Kerala-born cricketer has now set his sights on greater goals. Speaking to Bhaskar English in an exclusive conversation, George revealed his cricketing idol and also opened up on his aspirations of representing the senior Indian cricket team. ‘Batting with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is fun’ (3:00-3:36, 4:56-5:12, 4:21-4:38) There is hardly a cricket conversation in India these days that does not feature Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old has taken the cricket fraternity by storm and his explosive batting has captivated fans, commentators and ex-cricketers alike. Sooryavanshi, following a record-breaking IPL 2026 season, also earned a Team India call-up, becoming the youngest ever to do so. George has shared the dressing room with the boy wonder and the two had stitched a strong 90-run opening partnership which set the tone for India’s win over Afghanistan in the U-19 World Cup semi-final. Speaking on batting with Sooryavanshi, especially in that semifinal, George shared, “So, I think for me and him, it’s all about picking the right ball and playing shots accordingly. And you know, a lot of it is instinct-based because you see the field, you know what the ball is trying to bowl and you execute accordingly.” “I think the communication was pretty simple that these are the areas that we are targeting and this is the score, we’re in a good place. It was not about giving a lot of ideas to each other. It was about just telling that, you know, you’re doing your job well, keep going,” he added. George explained why it was fun to bat alongside the 15-year-old. “Obviously, batting with him is fun because you know that, you know, when the bowler releases the ball, you have some idea, you know, where it’s going to pitch and what his response will be for that delivery. So, yeah, it is very fun playing alongside him,” he stated. Furthermore, George went on to back Sooryavanshi’s ultra-aggressive approach. “He is somebody who likes to play shots and that is where he is most helpful to the team as well. So, just because it’s a high-stakes game or it’s a high-pressure game, that doesn’t mean he has to bow down his game and start to focus more on ones and twos.” Aaron George reveals admiration for AB de Villiers (1:59-2:13, 5:38-5:58) The right-hander’s technique mirrors Virat Kohli to a huge extent. As a matter of fact, the ICC had drawn parallels between a straight drive that he played at the U-19 World Cup 2026 and one struck by Kohli in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Interestingly, it is AB de Villiers, one of Kohli’s closest friends and South Africa great, whom George admires. “I don’t really model my game on anybody. But if there was some player I looked up to, it was ABD right from the start. So, I always admired him as a player,” he said. Having won the U-19 World Cup, George’s next big goal is to be a regular for his state across formats. “I think I really want to return to my state in the senior league very soon. You know, all formats. So, I think that is the immediate goal for me. But yeah, the long-term goal is playing for the Indian senior team.” ‘100 against Afghanistan was special’ (1:10-1:27) One of the defining knocks from George’s bat at the U-19 World Cup came in the semi-final against Afghanistan, where he scored a sparkling ton. Tasked with chasing down 311 to win, George’s sensational hundred laid the platform for India’s victory and entry into the final. And it was not surprising to hear that the 100 was a standout for him at the U-19 World Cup. ” It was a great moment. I think the 100 is obviously special. That would be the best moment for me. And yeah, winning (the U-19 World Cup). What more would I want at that time? I think that was the best moment for me,” he shared. George is currently part of the Ranga Reddy Risers in the TG20 tournament. Speaking on the tournament, he said, “When it comes to playing in the TG20, I think it is a great platform for all of us. We all have prepared a lot and getting an opportunity, a platform like this is great.”