“India U19 Begin Youth ODI Series With Focused Performance at Hove, Opener Slated This Afternoon”
IIE DIGITAL DESK : Hove, June 27 – The much-anticipated India U19 vs England U19 1st ODI kicks off today at the scenic County Ground in Hove, marking the start of a five-match Youth ODI series on English soil. With both teams eager to test themselves, India arrives on a confident note—following a record-breaking warm-up—while England hopes to capitalize on home conditions.
The match begins at 11:00 AM local time (3:30 PM IST), following a 10:30 AM toss. The Hove wicket is expected to offer a neutral playing surface—good bounce, solid stroke play, and seam-up early overs—making it a likely high-scoring affair under clear skies and mild breeze .
India U19, captained by Ayush Mhatre, enter the series buoyed by a dominant victory in their warm-up match against the Young Lions Invitational XI, winning by a whopping 231 runs . The star performer was teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, fresh off an IPL 2025 season with Rajasthan Royals—where he scored 252 runs at a blistering 206.56 strike rate. In warm-up, he contributed a quickfire 17 off 13, signaling intent .
Sooryavanshi is just 14 years old, yet already owns the record as the youngest Indian to notch a century in youth Tests—104 runs off 58 deliveries against Australia U19, a record made at 13 years, 188 days old.
England U19, led by Thomas Rew, features promising talents like Rocky Flintoff—son of Andrew Flintoff—and centurion batsman James Isbell, who made 174 in Hove last year .Attack-wise, they possess informed seam support suited to these conditions.
Expect India to lean on their seasoned young batsmen, with Mhatre and Sooryavanshi forming a strong opening duo. Their task: post 260–280+ runs for pressure innings. England will hope their seamers exploit early moisture, aiming to take advantage before dew sets in .
The match is available via live streaming on the ECB YouTube channel—no Indian broadcast rights are available . Fantasy cricket enthusiasts are already strategizing, with Sooryavanshi, Mhatre, and England’s pace attack tipped as key picks .
Following this match, the series continues with ODIs at Northampton (June 30, July 2) and Worcester (July 5, July 7), before two Youth Test matches in Beckenham and Chelmsford .
The Hove clash today sets the stage for a riveting youth series. With India flaunting momentum and home advantage giving England a chance to strike early, expect a competitive start. Watch out for standout performances from Sooryavanshi, Mhatre, Flintoff, and Isbell. The opener may be decisive—but the story across England promises to be compelling.
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