Youth Issue 2026: Sport

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, Cricketer: Wonder Boy

He created a stir even before most had seen him bat. Ahead of the last IPL, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest player, at 13, to secure a contract. Then came the remarkable batting—a six off his first ball and a 35-ball century.

He was equally dominant at the Under-19 World Cup, scoring 175 off 80 in the final to help win India the title. He has lit up the IPL again this year, taking apart top bowlers and fuelling calls for a senior debut. That may not be far away as very few have looked as destined to play for India as Sooryavanshi.

Shubman Gill, 26, Cricketer: Star Striker

He was tipped to become the next batting superstar right from the start of his international career. Most would have crumbled under the pressure of being anointed the next Virat Kohli, and in his first couple of years, Shubman Gill blew hot and cold. But something clicked in 2023 as he reeled off hundreds across formats. It was as though the heir apparent was ready to ascend the throne. Last year was pivotal. With the team in transition, he was handed the reins in Tests and ODIs. In his debut Test series as captain, he scored 754 runs against England, among the most commanding performances by an Indian overseas. Next year, he will be central to India’s ODI World Cup bid.

Smriti Mandhana, 29, Cricketer: Sensational Run

Against South Africa last week, Smriti Mandhana scampered for a quick single off her first ball and crossed a major milestone. She had been on 4,231 T20I runs, the most by an Indian in the format, level with Rohit Sharma. Now, with that run, she has moved ahead of Sharma. T20 is a new format, and women’s cricket features more limited-overs games than Tests. But the volume of runs underlines her consistency and importance for the Indian team. It isn’t just T20Is. She has been prolific in the other formats, breaking several records, including becoming the fastest woman to 5,000 ODI runs. She was also instrumental in India winning last year’s Women’s World Cup.

Gukesh D, 19, Chess Player: Game Changer

When Gukesh D beat Ding Liren to become the youngest world champion, it confirmed his talent and signalled a new era. India’s prodigies had already taken the game by storm. Now one had reached the summit. Gukesh had always stood out for his mental toughness and fearlessness; now he had proof of his pedigree. But sport is fickle. After the heights of 2024, he witnessed a slump the following year, which has continued into 2026. Later this year, Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov will challenge him for the world title. Many expect the Uzbekistani grandmaster to win, given his recent dominance. But writing off Gukesh would be foolhardy. A high-stakes contest may just be the reset he needs.

R Vaishali, 24, Chess Player: Queen’s Gambit

R Praggnanandhaa’s rise may have inspired awe, but in Chennai’s chess circles, he isn’t considered the best in his house. That distinction belongs to his elder sister, R Vaishali. Vaishali took time to establish herself, but her rise was meteoric. Between 2023 and 2024, she became a Grandmaster— only the third Indian woman—won the Women’s Grand Swiss, played her first Candidates, and helped India win the Chess Olympiad. But then, just as suddenly, results dipped. She entered the recent Candidates as the lowest-rated player. The gruelling tournament was exactly what she needed. Vaishali delivered one commanding performance after another, winning the event and setting up a World Championship challenge for herself later this year.

R Praggnanandhaa, 20, Chess Player: The Prodigy

If there is another player apart from Gukesh D to represent India’s new chess wave, it is R Praggnanandhaa. Known as ‘Pragg’, he was a child prodigy. He picked up the game watching his sister R Vaishali and soon won the under-8 and under-10 World Youth titles. More milestones followed, including becoming one of the youngest Grandmasters and beating Magnus Carlsen multiple times. Pragg has struggled recently, including at the latest Candidates. But at 20, he has time on his side.

Neeraj Chopra, 28, Javelin Thrower: Gold Standard

India has never had an athlete like Neeraj Chopra. It isn’t just the medals— Olympic gold and silver—but his consistency, regularly producing bigger throws and finishing in the top two. Last year was set to be big. He breached the 90 m mark with a 90.23m throw at the Doha Diamond League, finishing second to Germany’s Julian Weber. He then won gold in Paris and silver at the Diamond League Final in Zurich. But then came the low of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where he finished eighth, his first finish outside the top two since 2021. It turned out that he had been carrying an injury which has kept him out of the sport ever since. As he eyes a return at the Asian Games later this year, expect a hungrier than ever Chopra to bag more laurels.

Manu Bhaker, 24, Shooter: Shooting Star

Earlier this year, Manu Bhaker delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 25m pistol at the Asian Shooting Championships. This came days after she finished seventh in the 10m air pistol final. If she was disappointed, she didn’t show it. A double Olympian, she has often struggled in the 25m event. At the Asian Shooting Championships, though, trailing Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Trang, she closed the gap and took silver. It was another sign of her growth after her historic 2024 Olympics. This year will be crucial, with the Asian Games and 2028 Olympic qualification round the corner. Bhaker will be integral to India’s chances.

Ayush Shetty, 20, Badminton Player: Giant Killer

Most casual followers of badminton would not have heard of Ayush Shetty until a month ago. The 20-year-old from Karnataka wasn’t setting the stage alight, with early exits from the All England and Swiss Open. Then came the Badminton Asia Championships and his stunning run. The 6-foot-4 player dominated with his power and reach. In a week, he beat three top-10 players—World No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, No 4 Jonatan Christie, and No 7 Li Shi Feng—before losing to Shi Yu Qi in the final. Shetty always had the game for success. Now he has shown where Indian badminton could be headed.

Aman Sehrawat, 22, Wrester: The Strongman

Indian wrestling has witnessed its share of controversy, much of it off the mat. But Aman Sehrawat has remained a bright spot. Two years ago, inspired by Sushil Kumar’s 2012 Olympic silver, he won bronze at the Paris Olympics in the 57kg category, becoming India’s youngest medallist. His stature has grown since. Weeks ago, he returned from the Asian Wrestling Championships in Kyrgyzstan with gold. Sehrawat’s childhood was difficult—he lost both parents before his teens. He gave everything to wrestling, and the sport is now slowly repaying that commitment.

Nikhat Zareen, 29, Boxer: Komic Punch

She hasn’t had it easy. From neighbours taunting her family to resistance from her idol Mary Kom to give up the stage for her, Nikhat Zareen has had to fight throughout. She was always equal to the task. It was no surprise that her self-belief paid off. She won the IBA Women’s World Championships twice, in 2022 and 2023, becoming the first Indian woman after Kom to do so. There were other wins: gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, bronze at the 2023 Asian Games, and gold at last November’s World Boxing Cup Finals.