India's teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has received another leadership opportunity after being named Bihar's captain for the first two matches of the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026-27.
The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) announced a 17-member squad on Friday, November 6, with Sooryavanshi appointed captain and Suraj Kashyap named his deputy.
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Sooryavanshi will lead Bihar in their opening fixture against Saurashtra on November 14, followed by their match against Railways on November 16. Both matches will be played in Indore.
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This will be the first time the 15-year-old takes charge of Bihar's senior men's team. He had earlier been given a leadership opportunity with East Zone during the Duleep Trophy, where he served as vice-captain and also stepped in as captain when Ishan Kishan was unavailable due to injury.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Captaincy Comes After Sachin Tendulkar's Comments
Sooryavanshi's latest appointment comes shortly after former India captain Sachin Tendulkar expressed reservations about giving the youngster a leadership responsibility at such an early stage of his career.
During a Reddit question-and-answer session, Tendulkar shared his views on Sooryavanshi's appointment as East Zone vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy.
“I feel it's too early for him to become a vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. We have to let him play more matches with the red ball and take one step at a time!” the legendary India batter noted.
ALSO READ: Sachin Tendulkar Questions Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's Duleep Trophy Vice-Captaincy At 15: 'Too Early'
However, Bihar have now trusted the youngster with the responsibility of leading their senior team in the domestic T20 competition.
Bihar Squad For Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2026-27
Bihar have named the following 17 players for the opening matches of the tournament:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Captain), Suraj Kashyap (Vice-Captain), Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (Wicketkeeper), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (Wicketkeeper), Ritwik Raj, Mayank Kumar, Raghvendra Pratap, Ashish Kumar, Vasudev Pratap Singh, Mohammad Izhar, Amod Yadav, Prashant Singh, Nawaz Khan and Himanshu Singh.
Mangal Mahour and Shakib Hussain have also been named subject to fitness.
Bihar will begin their campaign against Saurashtra on November 14 before facing Railways two days later.
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