Australia has named its 15-member contingent for the ICC Men’s U-19 World Cup in Namibia and Zimbabwe, and the inclusion of Aryan Sharma and John James stands out with measured clarity. Both Indian-origin players have secured their positions through sustained consistency across youth fixtures and national pathway events. Sharma operates as a dual-threat cricketer. He bats left-handed and delivers slow left-arm orthodox spin. James brings a contrasting skill set as a right-arm medium-pace all-rounder with a controlled seam release and compact batting technique. Each represented Australia in the youth Test and one-day tour of India in September, forming part of a developmental group assessed closely by selectors. Their contributions at the National U-19 Championships in Perth ultimately strengthened their candidature for the World Cup roster. The squad mirrors Australia’s advancing multicultural depth, including Sri Lankan-origin players Naden Cooray and Nitesh Samuel, and Chinese-origin cricketer Alex Lee Young. Captain Oliver Peake resumes leadership duties following his steady rise within junior cricket. Read also: Why would Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma experience a pay cut in BCCI central Contract? Balanced squad selected for Namibia–Zimbabwe campaign Head coach Tim Nielsen articulated the reasoning behind the selections with procedural precision. In the official statement he said, “We're delighted to announce a strong and well-balanced squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Our focus has been on selecting a group with complementary skill sets that provide the best chance of success." Nielsen noted that several members have already trained in senior programmes, while others continue ascending through structured pathways. "The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these young cricketers to showcase their talent and test themselves against the best in the world." Australia has been placed in Group A with Ireland, Japan and Sri Lanka. The squad departs in early January, followed by warm-up fixtures from January 9 to 14. Australia Men's U-19 Squad: Oliver Peake (c), Kasey Barton, Naden Cooray, Jayden Draper, Ben Gordon, Steven Hogan, Thomas Hogan, John James, Charles Lachmund, Will Malajczuk, Nitesh Samuel, Hayden Schiller, Aryan Sharma, William Taylor, Alex Lee Young.