Vaibhav Sooryavanshi appointed Bihar's SMAT captain for 1st two matches
What's the story
Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed as the captain of Bihar's senior team for the first two matches of the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The announcement was made by the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) on Friday, with Suraj Kashyap being named vice-captain. BCA president Harsh Vardhan said this role will help in Sooryavanshi's growth as a player.
Temporary leadership
Sooryavanshi unavailable for 1st 2 matches
Sooryavanshi's captaincy is limited to Bihar's first two matches as he will join the India A squad for the Men's Rising Stars Asia Cup.
The 50-over tournament will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 19-29.
"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," Vardhan said, as per IANS.
Rising star
Stellar rise in cricketing career
Sooryavanshi's captaincy comes after a stellar rise in his cricketing career.
He was instrumental in India's victory at the 2026 Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup, scoring 175 in the final and winning Player of the Tournament.
The left-handed batter also topped the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 run charts with 776 runs at an incredible strike rate of 237.30 for Rajasthan Royals.
International debut
Youngest player to represent India in T20Is
Sooryavanshi's stellar performances earned him a spot in the India T20I side, making him the youngest international cricketer for the country.
He debuted against England in July and recently set a record with Abhishek Sharma for the highest powerplay total in men's T20Is during a match against New Zealand.
The duo added 133 runs for the first wicket in just 43 balls.
Team composition
Bihar squad for SMAT
The BCA's senior men's selection committee finalized the Bihar squad after trials from November 4-6 and a review of past performances.
The team will be led by Sooryavanshi with Kashyap as vice-captain.
Other members include Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (wk), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (wk), Ritwik Raj, Mayank Kumar, Raghvendra Pratap, and Ashish Kumar, among others.