India U19 has unearthed another exciting batting talent in Kushagra Ojha, who grabbed the spotlight with a superb unbeaten century against Sri Lanka U19 on Day 1 of the second Youth Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium. The young left-hander remained not out on 103 as India U19 finished the opening day strongly at 253/3, putting the visitors in a commanding position. His composed innings has quickly made him one of the most talked-about youngsters in Indian cricket.
Kushagra Ojha is a 16-year-old left-handed batter from Rajasthan, who will soon celebrate his 17th birthday. He usually bats in the top order and has impressed coaches and selectors with his calm approach and solid technique. Despite his young age, Kushagra looks comfortable against both pace and spin, showing the patience needed to build long innings while also playing attacking strokes when required.
A member of the India U19 support staff praised the youngster after his knock, saying, “Kushagra has shown excellent temperament for someone so young. He is willing to learn, works hard every day, and has the ability to play according to the situation.” His latest century has strengthened his reputation as one of India’s brightest batting prospects at the junior level.
Kushagra first caught the attention of fans during the Youth ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he scored an impressive 92 on his India U19 debut in Hambantota. He has now followed that performance with his maiden Youth Test century, proving that he can succeed in both limited-overs and red-ball cricket. His ability to bat anywhere in the top four gives the team valuable flexibility.
Kushagra Ojha’s Rise Through Rajasthan Cricket
The youngster’s cricket journey began in Rajasthan’s age-group system. He represented the state in the Vijay Merchant Trophy (Under-16) during the 2023-24 season before making rapid progress. His biggest breakthrough came in the 2025-26 Cooch Behar Trophy, where he captained Rajasthan U19 and scored 565 runs in 11 innings at an average of 51.36, including two centuries and four half-centuries, helping his side reach the quarter-finals.
Those outstanding domestic performances earned Kushagra a place in the U19 Challenger Trophy, followed by a call-up to the India U19 training camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru earlier this year. After impressing the coaching staff with both his batting and work ethic, he secured a place in India’s squad for the ongoing U19 tour of Sri Lanka. A coach from the camp reportedly said, “He has the hunger to improve every day, and that’s one of his biggest strengths.”
Kushagra’s unbeaten century has also kept India’s hopes alive in the ongoing Youth Test series. India lost the three-match Youth ODI series 2-1 after winning the opening game, while the first Youth Test ended in a draw. His hundred has now given the visitors a strong chance of winning the second Test and sealing the two-match series 1-0.
At just 16 years of age, Kushagra Ojha has already shown that he has the temperament, technique, and consistency needed to succeed at higher levels. If he continues to perform in the same manner, he could soon become one of the leading names in India’s youth cricket setup. His century against Sri Lanka may well be remembered as the innings that announced the arrival of India’s latest batting sensation.