Cricketer Overcomes Pandemic Hardship to Earn India A Debut at 18

In November 2025, 18-year-old Ashutosh Mahida from Vadodara is making his debut for the India A Under-19 team in a triangular series in Bengaluru. This is a remarkable achievement, considering the obstacles he has overcome in the past four years.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2021, Mahida's father, Chirag Mahida, a professional choreographer, lost his livelihood. To keep the family afloat, the young cricketer had to put aside his cricket whites and help his father sell vegetables. However, Mahida's father encouraged him to continue pursuing his passion for cricket, even during their financial troubles.

Gradually, the family's situation improved, and Chirag Mahida was able to return to his choreography work. Mahida, who started playing cricket at the age of nine, has been steadily making his mark. He played the Vijay Merchant Trophy in 2022 and the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy in 2024, where he picked up 16 wickets in five matches.

Despite a few injuries that kept him out of action, Mahida has bounced back and is now ready to showcase his talent on the international stage. His coach, Digvijay Rathwa, has high hopes for the young pace bowler, who is known for his ability to strike fear in the hearts of batsmen with his sheer pace.