Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed Bihar captain for the first two matches of SMAT 2026
Suraj Kashyap will serve as the team's vice-captain
Bihar begin their campaign against Saurashtra on November 14 in Indore
Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has received another major responsibility in his rapidly growing cricket career after being appointed captain of Bihar for the opening two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026-27.
The Bihar Cricket Association announced a 17-member squad on November 6, with Sooryavanshi set to lead the senior state team for the first time. Suraj Kashyap has been named vice-captain. The appointment comes after an extraordinary year for the youngster, who has made headlines with his performances in international cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Under-19 circuit.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to Captain Bihar in First Two SMAT Matches
Sooryavanshi's appointment follows a remarkable run of performances in 2026. He played a starring role in India's Under-19 World Cup triumph, scoring 175 in the final and finishing as Player of the Tournament.
He subsequently enjoyed a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, finishing as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30. His performances earned him an opportunity in India's T20I setup, where he became the country's youngest international cricketer.
Bihar Cricket Association president Harsh Vardhan believes the captaincy responsibility will help the youngster develop his leadership abilities. The team will begin its campaign against Saurashtra on November 14 in Indore before taking on Railways on November 16.
The 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins on November 14, with the final scheduled for December 6. Bihar will compete in Elite Group B alongside Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Railways, Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Bihar Squad for SMAT 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (c), Suraj Kashyap (vc), Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (wk), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (wk), Ritwik Raj, Mayank Kumar, Raghvendra Pratap, Ashish Kumar, Vasudev Pratap Singh, Mohammad Izhar, Amod Yadav, Prashant Singh, Nawaz Khan, Himanshu Singh.
Subject to fitness: Mangal Mahour and Shakib Hussain.
