Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named Bihar captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
The 15-year-old batter will lead the state side in their opening fixtures against Saurashtra and Railways in Indore.
The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) has appointed 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as captain for the first two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, according to reports from The Times of India and The Hindu. Suraj Kashyap will serve as his deputy for the tournament, which begins on November 14 in Indore.
The selection committee, led by Harvinder Singh, chose Sooryavanshi to lead the 17-member squad for the opening games against Saurashtra and Railways. Bihar assistant coach Ashok Kumar stated that Sooryavanshi is prepared for the role and that the move aims to prepare him for the future while sending a positive signal to young players.
Sooryavanshi, who recently played for India in T20Is and won the IPL 2026 Orange Cap, previously served as vice-captain for the East Zone side during the Duleep Trophy. While BCA president Harsh Vardhan noted that the responsibility would help the youngster grow as a leader, Sachin Tendulkar recently suggested that Sooryavanshi should focus on red-ball cricket rather than taking on leadership roles so early in his career.
The Bihar squad includes players such as Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka, and Altamash Ashraf. The availability of Mangal Mahrour and Shakib Hussain will be determined by fitness assessments following the first two matches. Sooryavanshi is expected to join the India A squad for the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars in Doha on November 19.