Aaryavir Sehwag: Everyone was charged up after losing to Pakistan in the group stage

The son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, Aaryavir, spoke exclusively to Sportstar about his breakthrough campaign at the U-19 Asia Cup, the lessons from India's group-stage defeat to Pakistan, the emotions of the final and the importance of staying grounded.

Aaryavir Sehwag finished the Under-19 Asia Cup with 361 runs in five innings, earning the Player of the Tournament award and playing a significant role in India's thrilling final victory over Pakistan.

For the young batter, the tournament was as much about a change in mindset as it was about runs.

The son of former India opener Virender Sehwag, Aaryavir spoke exclusively to Sportstar about his breakthrough campaign, the lessons from India's group-stage defeat to Pakistan, the emotions of the final and the importance of staying grounded.

What did you set out to achieve when you arrived for the U-19 Asia Cup, and how satisfying was it to see your plans come together?

The journey has been great. Obviously, I was batting well in the Australian series as well, but I did not get a big score. Since I made my debut for India U-19 in Rajkot in September, I wanted to get a big score because big scores earn you respect.

This time, when I came into the tournament, it was more about the mindset. I wanted to bat for longer periods and spend 40-45 overs at the crease, staying there for as long as I could. I had that belief in myself that even if I played dot balls initially, I could make up for them later in my innings with big shots.

I am glad I could execute my plans the way I had envisaged. I am also grateful to God for being able to do it.

What, according to you, was the turning point for the team?

I feel the turning point was when we lost to Pakistan. After that defeat, everyone got really charged up and motivated. We realised that we could not take things easy in this tournament. We had to approach every game with full intensity and fight as hard as we could.

All the boys were very, very sad after that loss. It was a really tough moment. But the cricket we played after that was just amazing. Hats off to everyone who was part of it, including the supporters.

A week later, you had the opportunity to settle scores against Pakistan in the final. What was going through the team's mind ahead of that rematch? How did you ensure that the emotions of the occasion did not get the better of you?

Nothing much, actually. After the first game, all of us realised that Pakistan was the first team we had faced, and everyone was overwhelmed by a lot of emotions during that game.

Later, we understood that we had to keep things simple. It was just another game, and we had to keep our mindset as calm as possible. We wanted to play good-quality cricket, not worry about who the opponent was, and try to dominate every side that came up against us.

I am glad that keeping things simple helped us. Every one of us was in the present moment. We did not panic, even after conceding 300-plus runs. We had the belief in the dressing room that we could chase it down, and eventually, we did. Hats off to everyone who contributed to the team's victory.

Chasing such a big target in a final is never easy, but you and captain Lakshya Raichandani gave India a terrific start. What was the belief in the dressing room, even after Pakistan had posted a huge total?

We believed in the dressing room that we could chase it down, and eventually, we did.

Your conversation with your father, after the final attracted considerable attention on social media. Given the magnitude of the occasion, did you speak to him before the game? Was there any advice from him that helped you?

Honestly, I did not speak to him before the final because we were playing back-to-back games. Even after the semifinal, we had only one day of rest, so I slept early. Eventually, I did not speak to anyone.

However, my younger brother motivated me a lot. He told me, "I'll only take you seriously only when you score big runs against Pakistan." So, he really motivated me to score runs against Pakistan. I am glad I could make a bit of a contribution to the victory.

Winning the Player of the Tournament award in your first major multinational competition is quite an achievement. How special is this moment, and has the experience changed how you view yourself as a cricketer?

It has been amazing. I hadn't thought about this earlier, and I am really grateful for the opportunity. I did well in most of the games and was awarded the Player of the Tournament. It is an amazing feeling, an incredible feeling, and I am really proud of myself, honestly.

But at the same time, it is just the beginning. I am glad I could live up to the promise I had made to myself of scoring runs in every game.

I was also speaking to my dad about it. Even Yere Goud sir, our head coach, who is also a batting coach, kept reminding me that it was all about staying in the present moment, taking it game by game and ball by ball, rather than thinking about personal milestones or how many runs I wanted to score.

Eventually, I had clarity in my mindset, which really helped me throughout the tournament. I hope I can maintain that clarity for a longer period in my career.

You have made a strong impression at the U-19 level. With a long domestic season ahead and some of your teammates already earning opportunities in senior teams, how are you approaching the next phase of your career? Are you looking to push for a place in senior cricket?

I have planned a lot for my five-year career so far, but now I am not expecting or planning anything. I am leaving everything to God's plan and just trying to work hard.

Whatever comes my way, I am ready for the challenge, whether it is red-ball cricket, senior cricket or Under-19 cricket. I am just preparing myself to be in a good state of mind, working on my batting skills and not expecting anything

What is the biggest lesson from this Asia Cup that you would want to carry into the next phase of your career?

There were many learnings. The biggest one was to always have belief. That will always be my number one priority, even in the later stages of my career.

There were many other learnings, too, such as understanding how pressure can affect your ability to perform and how you need to adapt to it.

Obviously, playing for India and performing well gave me a lot of confidence. You get the feeling that you belong here and that you can do well wherever you go. You realise that you are worthy of this opportunity. That was one of the best feelings and biggest learnings for me throughout the tournament.

And finally, after 361 runs and a Player of the Tournament award, has your father promised you a special gift?

(Laughs) No. No gifts from anyone. It is just the beginning.