Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named Bihar captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will lead Bihar’s senior team for the first time after being named captain of the 17-member squad for the opening two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, beginning on November 14.

Suraj Kashyap has been appointed vice-captain, the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) announced on Friday (November 6, 2026).

Bihar are in Group B alongside Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Railways, Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu.

They will begin their campaign against Saurashtra on November 14 in Indore.

BCA president Harsh Vardhan said the captaincy would provide Sooryavanshi a chance to grow as a leader.

“Vaibhav has already demonstrated tremendous talent, confidence and maturity at a young age. We are hopeful that under his leadership, the team will deliver a disciplined and competitive performance,” he said.

Sooryavanshi is expected to feature in Bihar’s first two matches against Saurashtra and Railways before joining the India A squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, scheduled to be held in Doha from November 19-29.

India A will open their campaign against Nepal on November 20.

Sooryavanshi was also named vice-captain of the East Zone side that won the Duleep Trophy under Ishan Kishan’s leadership.

But that appointment had drawn criticism as Sooryavanshi had played only eight first-class matches for Bihar.

Sooryavanshi has played 44 T20 matches, including 23 for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and 10 for India.

He was the Orange Cap winner of IPL 2026, amassing 776 runs in 16 innings at a staggering strike rate of over 237.

Sooryavanshi also smashed a match-winning 175 off 80 balls to guide India to a 100-run victory over England in the Under-19 World Cup final.

The left-hander recently featured in the third T20 International against New Zealand, scoring 45 off 19 balls in an opening stand of 133 with Abhishek Sharma.

Mangal Mahour and Shakib Hussain have been named subject to fitness assessments after Bihar’s first two matches.