Bhavika Ahire, Anaadi Tagde to lead India U19 teams

New Delhi Wicketkeeper-batter Bhavika Ahire and seam-bowling all-rounder Anaadi Tagde have been appointed captains of India U19 A and India U19 B teams respectively for the upcoming T20 Tri-Series featuring Nepal U19, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday. The tournament will be held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru from November 10 to 22. The competition will serve as an important preparation opportunity for India ahead of the 2027 ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal early next year. India have established themselves as a dominant force in the competition, having won the inaugural 2023 edition and successfully defended their title in 2025. The team will now aim to complete a hat-trick of titles in 2027. Bhavika, who was part of India's victorious 2025 U19 Women's T20 World Cup squad, will have Mumbai batter Ira Jadhav as her vice-captain in the A team. Shambhavi Rajput has been named the second wicketkeeper, while Ishwari Awarare, another member of the 2025 World Cup-winning squad, will feature in the B team. Meanwhile, Uma Kashvi has been appointed vice-captain of the B team. Kashvi made headlines after being signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 10 lakh, becoming the youngest player picked in the Women's Premier League (WPL). The B squad also includes wicketkeepers Rachita Hatwar and Shreya S. Chawan, opener Deeya Yadav and batting all-rounder Samaira Raghav, who earned a WPL contract with Gujarat Giants. All players selected for the tri-series recently featured in the U19 Women's T20 Challenger Trophy in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.