Cricket Australia announced 16-member team for India tour 2026 [Source: AFP]While the senior men’s team is amping up their preparations for the Pakistan tour, Cricket Australia has now announced a young 16-player squad to take on the Indian team across five matches in the September-October window. The tour featuring a fresh group of talents will give the young Australians the chance to test themselves against India in conditions that are very different from what they are used to back home.Australia U19 Squad Announced Against IndiaAustralia have picked a 16-member squad for their upcoming trip to India. The tour will feature five multi-format matches against the India Under-19 team. Coach Tim Nielsen will be working with Will Byrom and Kasey Barton, the only two players in the squad who also featured at the U19 World Cup earlier this year in Zimbabwe. Their prior experience at that tournament makes them the senior figures in an otherwise fresh-looking squad.Byrom, who was 17 at the time, had a standout tournament with 10 wickets at an average of 10.50. Barton picked up four wickets in the same event. Australia eventually lost to England in the semi-final by 27 runs, but both bowlers left a strong impression with their performances. Also Read- Indian Team Management Fixes 2 More Casualties For BCCI Amid Frequent Injury SetbacksByrom and Barton both bowl right-arm pace, and their partnership at the top of the bowling attack will be crucial once again in India.Australia U19 Squad for multi-format tour of India, 2026Kasey Barton, Hayden Barbulovic, Eli Brain, Will Byrom, Blake Cattle, Jack Czosnek, Spencer Green, Connor Gregory, Charlie Henderson, Zed Hollick, Matthew Lough, Neel Patel, Jacob Pietz, Patrick Sullivan, Theo Tsingos, Thomas Vaseo Queensland has the most players in the squad with five, while Victoria and New South Wales have three each. The rest of the squad is made up of players from Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia, giving the touring party a fairly balanced representation from across the country.When And Where Will Australia Face India?The Australia U19 side will play their matches in Rajkot and Ahmedabad. The tour will include three 50-over games and two four-day games against the India Under-19 team spread across September and October.Here is the full schedule of the tour1st Youth ODI – Friday, September 182nd Youth ODI – Monday, September 21 3rd Youth ODI – Wednesday, September 231st Youth Test – Sunday, September 27 2nd Youth Test – Monday, October 5 The mix of formats will allow the Australian players to test their skills in both the longer and shorter versions of the game, while also getting used to batting and bowling in subcontinent conditions, which are usually slower and more spin-friendly than what they experience in Australia.Why Is Cricket Australia Eager To Play India U19?Sonya Thompson, Cricket Australia's Head of National Development, explained why the board values this tour for its young cricketers."We are really pleased to provide the opportunity to some of Australia's best young players to continue their development as part of our pathways program," Thompson said.She added that facing India in tough conditions would help the players grow both technically and mentally."Touring India and playing against high-quality opposition in challenging conditions will be a valuable experience and test the players technically and mentally across formats," Thompson said.This tour is part of a bigger plan by Cricket Australia to give young players more chances to experience quality cricket in Asian conditions. Over the past few years, the board has steadily increased opportunities for its pathway players to tour Asia, believing that early exposure to these conditions helps in their long-term development.With several fresh faces set to make their India debut alongside experienced campaigners like Byrom and Barton, this tour could prove to be an important stepping stone for Australia's next generation of cricketers.Also Read- Most Fifers In T20s: Rashid Khan Equals Shaheen, Bhuvneshwar's Record In The Hundred 2026
