What happened to Virat Kohli’s Under 19 rivals? Where are they now?

Virat Kohli led the India U19 team to a title victory in the 2008 edition in Malaysia.

By Mihir Korde

Updated - 01 Aug 2025, 16:48 IST

5 Min Read

While star batter Virat Kohli led India to victory in the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup, he was not the only young cricketer grabbing eyeballs that season. That tournament witnessed several players across teams become greats of the game. Kohli and his batchmates were future stars in the making, some even seen as rivals at the time. Many from that generation produced successful international careers, becoming big names and leading their respective countries. 


6. Ahmed Shehzad

Pakistani batsman Ahmed Shehzad. (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)

Former Pakistani batter Ahmed Shehzad played in the same 2008 U-19 World Cup as Virat Kohli. Shehzad was once hailed as Pakistan’s next batting star. With his resemblance to Kohli, both in appearance and attitude, both of them were often compared.

Shehzad made his international debut in 2009 and became a reliable opener. He was the first Pakistan player to score a T20I century, registering 111* against Bangladesh in the 2014 T20 World Cup. That same year, he scored his Test-best 176 against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. He also became the fourth-fastest Pakistani opener to notch five ODI hundreds, achieving the feat in just 43 innings.

However, Shehzad’s career was cut short due to poor performance and off-field controversies. Despite several comebacks, including a return in 2019 after strong Pakistan Super League (PSL) performances, Shehzad could not hold his place in Pakistan's national team. By 2023, he stepped away from the PSL after going unsold in the players’ draft. He currently features as a cricket expert on TV and runs his own YouTube channel.

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