Vaibhav Suryavanshi, just 14, has been named Bihar’s vice-captain for the first two rounds of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, which begins on October 15. The team will be led by experienced batter Sakibul Gani. The announcement comes only days before the season opener, following a last-minute reshuffle within the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA), which was ordered by the BCCI to appoint a full five-member selection panel.
Suryavanshi’s rapid rise continues after a string of outstanding performances for India Under-19. On the tour of Australia, he struck a blistering 78-ball century in Brisbane and finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the multi-day series, tallying 133 runs in three innings. Earlier, in England, he hit a record-breaking 143 — the fastest century in youth one-dayers — and ended that series as the top run-getter with 355 runs at a strike rate of 174.01.
Despite being only 14, Suryavanshi already holds several records. He made his first-class debut for Bihar at 12 years and 284 days and has since played five matches, scoring 100 runs. His biggest breakthrough came earlier this year in the IPL, when he became the youngest centurion in men’s T20s. Playing for Rajasthan Royals, he smashed 101 off just 38 balls against Gujarat Titans and finished the 2025 season with 252 runs at a strike rate of 206.55.
Bihar, meanwhile, are desperate for a turnaround after a winless 2024-25 season, in which they managed just one point from seven games. They begin their campaign against Arunachal Pradesh in Patna, followed by Manipur in Nadiad from October 25. The BCA is determined to retain Suryavanshi, whose maturity and attacking flair have already prompted calls for him to move to a stronger state setup.
However, his Ranji appearances may be limited this season as he remains in contention for India’s Under-19 World Cup squad scheduled for early 2026.
Bihar Ranji Trophy 2025-26 squad:
Piyush Kumar Singh, Bhashkar Dubey, Sakibul Gani (capt), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (vice-capt), Arnav Kishor, Ayush Loharuka, Bipin Saurabh, Amod Yadav, Nawaz Khan, Sakib Hussain, Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Sachin Kumar Singh, Himanshu Singh, Khalid Alam, Sachin Kumar.
Leave a Reply