After being selected to captain Bihar for the first two games of the 2026–2027 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is about to embark on his first senior cricket captaincy assignment. In the domestic T20 tournament, which starts on November 14, the 15-year-old batting sensation will captain the state team. Bihar’s matches against Saurashtra on November 14 and Railroads on November 16 are both set to take place in Indore.
Because Sooryavanshi is scheduled to immediately join the India A squad for the Men’s Rising Stars Asia Cup, the captaincy role is limited to these two games. The decision to give the 15-year-old wonderkid leadership responsibilities was explained by BCA President Harsh Vardhan.
Talking to NDTV Sports, Vardhan quotes, “Vaibhav has already demonstrated tremendous talent, confidence and maturity at a young age, and this responsibility will provide him with another opportunity to grow as a cricketer and leader. We are hopeful that under Vaibhav’s leadership, the team will deliver a disciplined, competitive and effective performance while representing the state in the upcoming season.”
For a player who has already established himself both domestically and internationally, it is a big responsibility. Sakibul Gani led Bihar’s Ranji Trophy team last season, and Sooryavanshi was selected vice-captain for the first two games. In January 2024, at the age of twelve, he made his first-class debut for Bihar against Mumbai.
The 15-year-old has made a name for himself at the top levels in a variety of disciplines. He struck 175 in the final of the 2026 Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, winning Player of the Tournament as India won. He became India’s youngest international cricket player when he made his T20I debut against England in Manchester in July 2026. Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma combined for 118 runs in the first six overs of a recent Twenty20 International against New Zealand, which is the highest powerplay total in men’s T20Is.
