Cricket fraternity hails India’s record sixth U-19 World Cup title, Kohli and Gambhir lead tributes

India’s record-extending sixth ICC Under-19 World Cup triumph on February 6 drew widespread praise from across the cricketing fraternity, with senior players and former greats lauding the team’s dominant campaign and a sensational final performance led by 14-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India sealed the title in emphatic fashion, crushing England by 100 runs in the final after posting a massive 411 for nine. The victory was headlined by a breathtaking innings from Sooryavanshi, who smashed 175 off just 80 balls, an effort widely hailed as one of the finest knocks in U-19 World Cup history.

Batting icon Virat Kohli, who captained India to the U-19 World Cup title in 2008, congratulated the young side and highlighted India’s sustained excellence at the age-group level. “Congratulations to the U-19 Indian team for lifting the World Cup once again. Our domination in age-group cricket and beyond continues. Well done to the whole squad and the support staff,” Kohli posted on X.

India men’s head coach Gautam Gambhir echoed similar sentiments, calling the triumph a glimpse of the future. “Proud of you boys! The bright future is here!” he wrote.

Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin described the campaign as a showcase of fearless modern white-ball cricket. He said the team’s confidence, audacity and attacking mindset underlined how rapidly the game is evolving, adding that it was “scary to think” what par scores might look like in the future given such batting intent.

Harbhajan Singh termed the victory a commanding display, congratulating the team for what he called a “dominating performance” on the world stage.

India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav reserved special praise for Sooryavanshi’s remarkable final, which featured a record 15 sixes and an equal number of fours. “Absolutely incredible. What a special mentality you have, to do this in a final. Class knock,” he wrote.

Praise also poured in from overseas. South African pace legend Dale Steyn dubbed the teenager a “wonder boy,” remarking that he could win an IPL title before finishing school. Former West Indies fast bowler and commentator Ian Bishop said the Indian team arrived not just with talent but with purpose, power and discipline, fully deserving their title win.

India batter Mayank Agarwal hailed the team’s fearless approach, calling the performance “electric” and driven by intent, skill and belief. He said the triumph pointed to an exciting future for Indian cricket.

With a flawless campaign capped by a historic final, India’s U-19 side once again underlined the depth of talent and the strength of the country’s cricketing pipeline.