Image source, ACC
Mohit Ulva scored unbeaten 49 runs on 26 balls against Pakistan in the final of Under-19 Asia Cup 2026 in Oman on Saturday to lead India to a thrilling victory by one wicket.
18-year-old Mohit, who was the hero of India's victory, took over the innings while batting at number eight when India's score was 252 runs for eight wickets and it needed 84 more runs to win.
He made a partnership of 57 runs for the ninth wicket with Manal Chauhan. After this, he along with C. Venkat added 29 runs for the last wicket and took India to victory.
For this brilliant innings, Mohit has been chosen 'Player of the Match' in the final.
Mohit also opens the bowling only for India and in this Under-19 Asia Cup, he took three wickets.
He also performed well in the three-match Youth ODI series against Australia, taking five wickets in three matches.
According to The Hindu Group's sports magazine Sports Star, Mohit takes training from Mahendra Singh Chauhan at the cricket bungalow in Jamnagar.
Mahendra Singh Chauhan is the same coach who had also honed the talent of Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja.
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Mohit's father works in the Railway Protection Force and on his advice, Mohit started playing cricket in his childhood.
Mohit had told Sports Star, "My father was always interested in cricket. But unfortunately he could not play in his time. But when I was young, he saw some quality in me and thought that I could play."
Mohit's father works in Railway Protection Force. He asked Mohit to join the academy.
According to Mohit, he agreed. But there was another attraction hidden in it.
He said, “I actually agreed because I wanted to avoid studying!”
Mohit was already playing tennis-ball cricket with his cousins in his village.
He told, "I also enjoyed playing cricket there. I personally liked this game, so I listened to my father and started going to an academy."
The story of becoming a fast bowler from an off-spinner
Mohit's coach Mahendra Singh Chauhan paid a lot of attention to his fitness. Thanks to this he managed to do well.
Mohit started as an off-spinner. But one day Mahendra Singh Chauhan advised him to try fast bowling.
According to Mohit, "One day Mahendra sir told me, try bowling fast. He said that my body is slim and I run well, so I should bowl fast."
Mohit followed the coach's advice.
"I started bowling fast and gradually became a naturally fast bowler."
Interestingly, there was no personal or special fast bowling coach behind this change.
Mohit says, "I have never taken training from any personal coach for fast bowling. I have worked with BCCI camps and other coaches at the Under-16 and Under-19 level, but I have not had any personal fast-bowling coach."
Advice for slow bouncer from Unadkat
Jaydev Unadkat advised Mohit to continue working on a particular variation.
Mohit had seen Unadkat bowl a slow bouncer in the nets and then tried this ball himself.
He says, "I saw him bowling this ball in the nets and then I also tried. Jaydev Bhai saw it and said never leave it. If you are bowling it well then keep bowling it.
hard work with father
Mohit told Sportsstar that batting has now become an important part of his game. But he says that batting did not come naturally to him.
"My father makes me practice on the bowling machine, give me throwdowns and make me do different drills. This is how my batting improved."
He also benefited from learning by watching other players.
The same hard work was visible in his recent innings. Mohit not only hit big shots but also rotated the strike and batted as per the need of the team.
Published by Collective Newsroom for the BBC.
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