India, Feb. 7 -- Virat Kohli's U19 World Cup in 2008 was a captain's campaign - controlled, repeatable, built for winning tight games. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 2026 run was a takeover - heavier volume, higher impact, and a finale that felt like a one-man show. Same stage, same India crest, but wildly different footprints.

Start with the simplest truth. Kohli finished the 2008 U19 World Cup with 235 runs at an average of 47 across six innings. Solid output, made more valuable because he was leading the side. Sooryavanshi's 2026 numbers are larger by a full tier: 439 runs in seven innings, averaging 62.71. That is not a marginal improvement - it is an extra strong run spread across the tournament.

Every World Cup leaves behind one defining ...