Sachin Tendulkar Gifts Final Test Jersey to U-19 Captain Ayush Mhatre

Sachin Tendulkar rarely shares pieces of his cricketing past. When he does, it usually carries meaning far beyond the gesture itself. Days after India's Under-19 World Cup triumph, Tendulkar met Ayush Mhatre, the captain who led the side to a record-extending sixth title, and presented him with the jersey he wore in the final Test series of his storied international career. For Indian cricket, it was a symbolic moment as one generation quite literally handed something sacred to the next.

Mhatre, who finished the 2026 Under-19 World Cup with 214 runs, including three fifties, has already emerged as one of the most talked-about young leaders in the system. The Mumbai-born batter, now part of the Chennai Super Kings, described the meeting as surreal,

sharing an emotional post on social media after receiving the jersey.

"I grew up watching you through a screen. Today, I stand at your home, holding a piece of your journey in my hands. Thank you, Sir, for this honour. I will carry this with the same respect you carried Indian cricket for years. "

For many, the image of Tendulkar gifting his final Test jersey to Mhatre felt like more than a congratulatory moment. Figures like Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma have long shaped Mumbai cricket.

With leadership success at the Under-19 level and a calm authority beyond his years, Ayush Mhatre now finds himself spoken of as the next name in that lineage.

Whether the jersey becomes a source of pressure or inspiration will be up to him. For now, it stands as a powerful vote of belief from the game's greatest to one of its newest standard-bearers.

Ayush Mhatre leads India's U-19 return home

Led by Mhatre, India sealed their sixth Under-19 World Cup title in Harare, overpowering England by 100 runs in the final. India posted 411/9, powered by a breathtaking 175 off 80 balls from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, before bowling England out for 311 in 40.2 overs.

The victorious squad received a warm welcome in Mumbai, with fans and family members gathering to greet the players. Mhatre, along with Sooryavanshi and wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu, drew particular attention on arrival.