Patna (Bihar) [India], November 6 (ANI): The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) on Friday announced a 17-member squad for Bihar's opening two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Young Bihar batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed captain, while Suraj Kashyap will serve as vice-captain. This will be the first time Vaibhav leads Bihar's senior team, as the side prepares to begin its campaign in the upcoming tournament under his leadership, according to a release by BCA.
Speaking about the development, BCA president Harsh Vardhan said, "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."
The senior selection committee of the Bihar Cricket Association met on 6 November 2026 to finalise the squad after evaluating players' trials and previous performances. Selection committee chairman Harvinder Singh and member Amitabh Vijayvargiya were present at the meeting, while selector S. Sarath participated over the telephone. Following the trials conducted from 4 to 6 November and a review of the players' performances, the squad was finalised.
The 17-member Bihar squad comprises Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Captain), Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (Wicketkeeper), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (Wicketkeeper), Ritwik Raj, Suraj Kashyap (Vice-Captain), Mayank Kumar, Raghvendra Pratap, Ashish Kumar, Vasudev Pratap Singh, Mohammad Izhar, Amod Yadav, Prashant Singh, Nawaz Khan and Himanshu Singh.
Additionally, the selection of Mangal Mahour and Shakib Hussain will be subject to their fitness. As per the selection committee's decision, their fitness will be assessed after the first two matches, following which a final decision regarding their availability for the team will be taken.
The following players have been named as standbys: Bipin Saurabh, Suman Kumar, Akash Raj, Khalid Alam, Bhaskar Dubey, Kumar Rajnish, Suyash, Abhijeet Saket, Yashasvi Rishabh, Lakhan Raja, Pawan Kumar, Amit Chaudhary, Piyush Singh, Bhanu Kumar, Lokesh Babulal Kumar and Prashant Srivastava.
The captaincy marks an important milestone in Vaibhav Suryavanshi's cricketing career. Representing Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, he attracted widespread attention with his aggressive batting. He subsequently earned a place in the Indian team and showcased his talent in international T20 cricket as well.
In the recent third T20 International against New Zealand, Vaibhav opened the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, with the duo registering a record-breaking partnership. The two batters scored 118 runs without losing a wicket in just six overs, setting a world record for the highest powerplay score in men's T20 International cricket. They also shared an opening partnership of 133 runs off 43 balls. Vaibhav scored 45 runs off 19 deliveries, while Abhishek Sharma produced a spectacular innings of 113 runs off 38 balls.
The Bihar Cricket Association's Administrator and former Patna High Court Justice, Ashwini Kumar Singh, along with BCA President Harsh Vardhan and other senior officials of the Association, congratulated Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on his appointment as captain of the Bihar senior team. They expressed confidence in his abilities and wished him and the entire team success in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
With the responsibility of leading Bihar now entrusted to him, Vaibhav will look to build on his individual achievements while guiding the state team to greater heights. Expectations will be high for Bihar to deliver a competitive performance under his captaincy.
Bihar will begin its campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with its opening two matches scheduled to be played in Indore from 14 November 2026. The support staff associated with Bihar's Ranji Trophy team will continue with the squad throughout the tournament. Additionally, selection committee chairman Harvinder Singh and member Amitabh Vijayvargiya will be present in Indore to observe the team's matches. (ANI)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi appointed Bihar captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as BCA announces 17-member squad
