No Longer a Twelfth Man: Bihar Cricket’s Journey from Administrative Turmoil to Ranji Elite with Sooryavanshi

Despite a gloriously long innings, cricket in Bihar has been on a turbulent pitch for quite some time now. Administrative misadventures and lack of support from the state government proved to be detrimental. Until Vaibhav Sooryavanshi arrived, knocking boundaries all across the field, giving hope to a cricketing body looking to make a comeback on the national scene.

The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) was established in 1935 with headquarters in Jamshedpur. The state team played its first Ranji Trophy tournament way back in 1937. Despite such a long history of being in the domestic mix, Bihar remained a journeyman team, having never won the Ranji Trophy. After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introduced the two-tier Ranji structure—Elite and Plate groups—Bihar annexed the Plate title twice, including in the last season in January, which secured them a place in the Elite group for the 2026-27 season.

The fact that Bihar has been the backwaters of the country in most spheres of life has impacted cricket too, with few top-level talent emerging out of the state. In fact, during the 1970s, when Bihar had a reasonably strong lineup, most of the standout performers—Daljit Singh, Anand Shukla, Ramesh Saxena and Hari Gidwani—were from outside the state.

The carve-out of Jharkhand from Bihar in 2000 was a body blow to Bihar cricket. With cricket in the state being controlled from Jamshedpur, it was Jharkhand that got the pride of place in domestic events, while the BCA was left without any affiliation. From 2000 to 2018, Bihar was exiled from the scene, thanks to an internecine dogfight among various factions of administrators claiming to be the custodians of the game but more interested in their own welfare. Bihar finally entered the domestic ring in 2018 following reinstatement by the BCCI and has since struggled to make a mark.

Thankfully, the tide seems to be turning with the emergence of some exceptionally gifted cricketers recently, led by Sooryavanshi, which has helped Bihar create a buzz in cricketing circles. 

Shifting Talent

The rise of Sooryavanshi marks a new chapter in the history of Bihar cricket. It is not just the emergence of a young talent, but a symbol of a larger transformation where a region, long deprived of consistent opportunities, is beginning to find its voice in Indian cricket. It’s not that Bihar had a complete dearth of talent. The real challenge was lack of infrastructure, proper facilities and sustained opportunities. For decades, some gifted cricketers from the region remained unnoticed or underutilised due to administrative issues, limited exposure and the long phase of isolation following the separation of Jharkhand from Bihar.

Even earlier, players like left-arm spinner Avinash Kumar, who once topped the Ranji Trophy wicket charts, showed what Bihar was capable of producing. Saba Karim, a talented wicketkeeper-batsman, also made his mark in Indian cricket, but like many others, his journey was shaped by the need to move out of Bihar for better opportunities.

The story did not stop there. Cricketers such as Mukesh Kumar from Gopalganj and Akash Deep from Sasaram rose from humble backgrounds to represent India at the highest level. Saqib Hussain, also from Gopalganj, is making waves with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Their journeys reflect determination, struggle and the ability to overcome systemic challenges. Both Mukesh and Akash Deep had to move to West Bengal, where they got to play for the state side, which led to them donning Indian colours. Similarly, Ishan Kishan from Nawada in Bihar, a dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman, had to move to Jharkhand to access better facilities before becoming a household name in Indian cricket.

These stories highlight a consistent pattern—Bihar produces talent, but opportunities often lie elsewhere. At the same time, a large number of young aspirants from Bihar continue to train in academies across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Jharkhand. Many struggle with basic living conditions while chasing their dreams far from home. This raises an important question: what if the same level of infrastructure and support existed within Bihar itself?

In this evolving landscape, the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi stands out as a phenomenon. He has captured attention at a very young age with his fearless batting and the ability to dominate top-quality bowling attacks. His rise has brought renewed attention to Bihar, placing it back on the cricketing map of India.

More importantly, his success represents hope. It signals that Bihar may finally be entering a new era—one where talent does not need to migrate to be recognised and where young cricketers can dream big while staying rooted in their own state.

The Rise and Rise of Sooryavanshi

You cannot create a talent like Sooryavanshi; they are born geniuses. However, their proclivity needs to be honed for the best results through proper training and mastering. Sooryavanshi, from the small town of Samastipur, used to travel more than 100 km one way to Patna to train at coach Manish Ojha’s academy. His father, Sanjeev, once an aspiring cricketer himself, was always on his side, having devoted his life to his son’s career.

The stint at Ojha’s academy gave the young Sooryavanshi a chance to understand his game and evolve into the cricketer that he is today. Of course, guidance from the likes of Rahul Dravid and Kumar Sangakkara at Rajasthan Royals gave more heft to his already exceptional prowess. But the fact remains that here was a home-bred talent from Bihar who could take on the best. This can be the game-changer for Bihar cricket as it gives hope to young cricketers from the region that they need not leave home and hearth to make it good in their sport. And once they reach a certain level, then the BCCI or IPL franchise talent scouts can always pick them up for advanced training and then give them the big stage to perform.

The rise of Sooryavanshi is, therefore, not just an individual achievement. It is the beginning of what could be a new era in Bihar cricket —one defined by opportunity, recognition and belief. 

Also, Bihar making the Elite Ranji level for the upcoming season is an immense opportunity for players to make a mark. Any outstanding performance at this level is immediately recognised by the cricket fraternity and is highlighted by the national media.

With the team growing in confidence post its stellar performance in the Plate division and due to the exploits of players from the state in international cricket and in the IPL, one can hope for good things to happen to the present bunch.

Players like Sakibul Gani, captain and formidable batsman, spinner Himanshu Singh and wicketkeeper-batters Bipin Saurabh and Ayush Loharuka, among others, have a chance to answer critics and prove that minnows also can have their days. Of course, Sooryavanshi will be there to provide firepower at the top of the order, which should make the task of other batters relatively easier. And who knows, Bihar may then end up beating a fancied side to earn laurels it has been pining for quite a while now.

(Views expressed are personal)

Shashank Shekhar is a senior sports journalist and a well-known cricket writer

Burhan Akhtar is a former state-level player for Bihar. Presently, he is a fast-bowling coach