Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise continues as Bihar hand him captaincy at 15

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s remarkable rise in Indian cricket has reached another milestone with the teenage batting sensation being named the captain of Bihar’s senior team for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at just 15 years old. The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) on Friday announced the 17-member squad for the opening two matches of the home T20 tournament and appointed Sooryavanshi to lead the squad.Suraj Kashyap has been named vice-captain, with Bihar starting their campaign in Indore from November 14. This will be the first time Sooryavanshi will lead Bihar’s senior side, adding another significant responsibility to a career that has progressed at an extraordinary pace.BCA president Harsh Vardhan expressed confidence in the youngster’s ability to handle the leadership role and highlighted the maturity he has shown despite his age.“Vaibhav has shown tremendous talent, confidence and maturity at a young age and this responsibility will provide him with further opportunity to grow as a cricketer and leader. We hope that under Vaibhav’s leadership the team will perform in a disciplined, competitive and efficient manner while representing the state in the upcoming season,” Vardhan said.

From IPL sensation to Bihar captain

Sooryavanshi’s appointment comes after a string of impressive performances that have catapulted him into the national limelight. The young batsman representing Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 has attracted widespread attention for his aggressive approach and ability to take on the established bowlers.His performances subsequently earned him an opportunity in the Indian team where he showcased his attacking instincts in T20 international cricket.He was particularly impressive in India’s recent third T20 International against New Zealand, starting alongside Abhishek Sharma. The pair produced a record attack as they smashed 118 runs without losing a wicket in the powerplay – the highest score in the first six overs in men’s T20 International cricket.Their opening partnership ended up yielding 133 runs off just 43 deliveries. Sooryavanshi contributed 45 off 19 balls while Abhishek stole the show with a whopping 113 off 38 deliveries.The youngster from Bihar will now look to build on his individual leadership success on the domestic circuit, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy providing another platform to bolster his credentials.

17-man squad announced; availability of two players depends on fitness

The BCA Senior Selection Committee finalized the squad on 6 November after evaluating the players during trials held from 4 to 6 November and reviewing their previous performances. Selection committee chairman Harvinder Singh and member Amitabh Vijayvargiya attended the meeting while selector S. Sarath participated over the phone.The 17-member squad consists of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Captain), Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (Goalkeeper), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (Goalkeeper), Ritwik Raj, Suraj Kashyap (Vice-Captain), Mayank Kumar, Raghishh, Pramartap, Ashampude Sasham Izhar, Amod Yadav, Prashant Singh, Nawaz Khan and Himanshu Singh.The selection of Mangal Mahour and Shakib Hussain will remain subject to fitness assessment after Bihar’s first two matches, after which a final decision will be taken on their availability.Sixteen players, including Bipin Saurabh, Suman Kumar, Akash Raj, Khalid Alam, Bhaskar Dubey and Kumar Rajnish, were named as reserves.