Fans could be forgiven a jolt of déjà vu three weeks from now, when two iconic surnames return to the blue jersey. India U-19’s squad for next month’s series against their Australian counterparts was announced on Thursday, featuring Aaryavir Sehwag and Anvay Dravid — sons of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, respectively.While Anvay has represented India at this level before, it will be the debut series in blue for Aaryavir. The teenager has been a consistent presence for Delhi U-19, most memorably scoring 297 against Meghalaya in the 2024 Cooch Behar Trophy. Had he scored 23 more, he would have surpassed his father’s highest Test score of 319 — and, per a pact with his father, earned himself a Ferrari before he became eligible to drive one.Yogesh Nagar, Delhi U-19 coach, could sense the disappointment. Not at missing a Ferrari, but a triple hundred.“Aaryavir was not satisfied after scoring 297. Anyone else would have been, but he has a hunger for runs that is rarely quenched. He lamented missing a triple century and we had to console him by saying it didn’t matter. But moments like those tell you who is going to make it big and who is not,” Nagar recalls in a conversation with The Indian Express.Well played @aaryavirsehwag . Missed a Ferrari by 23 runs. But well done, keep the fire alive and may you score many more daddy hundreds and doubles and triples. Khel jaao.. pic.twitter.com/4sZaASDkjx— Virrender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) November 22, 2024For Nagar, Aaryavir’s India U-19 selection completes a peculiar circle of life.“I have had the unique opportunity of playing under Viru bhai’s captaincy in the IPL, and am now coaching his son for Delhi U-19. I try to teach my boys what Viru bhai taught me during our Delhi Daredevils days. I have passed on his father’s teachings to Aaryavir.”Having seen the two generations of Sehwags from close quarters, Nagar feels there are unmistakable similarities.Story continues below this ad“Aaryavir’s backfoot game is just like his father’s. You could figure out that this is Virender Sehwag’s son just by his batting technique.”Jaswant Rai, Nagar’s predecessor with Delhi U-19, had only a handful of training sessions with Aaryavir. Yet, they were enough to stir memories of an old friend.“Viru and I played a lot of matches together. When I first saw Aaryavir, my immediate reaction was: like father, like son. The same backfoot punch, the same cut shot,” Rai, who is also Arshdeep Singh’s childhood coach, tells this newspaper. The teenager has been a consistent presence for Delhi U-19, most memorably scoring 297 against Meghalaya in the 2024 Cooch Behar Trophy. (Credit: West Delhi Lions)Aaryavir carries the surname but not the ego that could easily have accompanied it.Story continues below this ad“The most important thing is that he does not have the attitude of a star kid. There is no ego whatsoever. He knows that only runs will take him to the big stage,” Nagar says.Rai echoes: “He has always had immense potential, but potential alone cannot take you to the top. It’s very common for a kid who has come from a position of privilege to lack the determination needed to shine. But that has never been a problem with Aaryavir.”His temperament has been tested outside age-group cricket too. Aaryavir was part of West Delhi Lions’ Delhi Premier League campaign this year, but did not always make the XI.Despite having to wait for almost the entire season to get a chance, Aaryavir would never lack enthusiasm, observed the team’s mentor Uday Gupte.Story continues below this ad“Ideally, Aaryavir should have got more chances, but we had experienced openers, so opportunities were limited. That, though, didn’t deter him from giving his best day in and day out in training,” Gupte tells The Indian Express.Gupte, a veteran of Delhi cricket who watched Virender Sehwag as a teenager, sees echoes beyond technique. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Star Sports India (@starsportsindia)“I had seen Viru when he was 17, and now I have seen Aaryavir at 17. The mentality is similar. Like his father, Aaryavir likes to take down the bowler from the first ball. In only his first game this season, he hit two fours in his first five balls.”Aaryavir scored 22 off 14 in that DPL fixture. Gupte remembers his shots, but more than that, he remembers the conversation in the build-up to the game.Also Read | Sehwag, Dravid’s sons included in India U19 squad for Australia series“It was a must-win game for us. We lost three on the bounce. I told him before the game that he would be getting his chance. ‘Are you ready?’ I asked. He is just a kid. But he replied: ‘Sir, bas ek baar chance deke dekho ki main kya karta hu (just give me one chance and see what I do).’”Story continues below this adSources have informed The Indian Express that the aggressive brand of batting is among the reasons why Aaryavir has been selected in the India U-19 team. With neither Vaibhav Sooryavanshi or Ayush Mhatre set to feature at the 2028 ICC U-19 World Cup, the selectors are looking at openers who can score quickly.Not all facets, however, have been explored.“Not many know this, but he is a handy leg-spinner too. He has got a great googly. I have told him that if he hones his bowling skills, in addition to the technically astute batter that he is, he will go to the very top,” says Gupte.The Indian cricket fans would hope for the same.(With inputs from Venkata Krishna B)