SMAT 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi becomes youngest captain in men’s T20 history
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another milestone to his burgeoning cricket career on Saturday, becoming the youngest captain in men’s T20 history when he led Bihar against Saurashtra in their...
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another milestone to his burgeoning cricket career on Saturday, becoming the youngest captain in men’s T20 history when he led Bihar against Saurashtra in their opening match of the 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Holkar Stadium.
At 15 years and 232 days, Sooryavanshi surpassed Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who previously held the record after captaining his national side at the age of 17 years and 311 days.
The appointment marks another significant achievement for the Bihar teenager, whose career has progressed rapidly across formats and age groups. He made his T20 International debut for India five months ago and was also part of the country’s Under-19 World Cup-winning campaign in Zimbabwe earlier this year.
However, his first outing as Bihar captain yielded a modest contribution with the bat. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Sooryavanshi scored 18 runs off 12 deliveries before being caught and bowled by left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya.
His availability for Bihar in the tournament will be limited, with the Saurashtra fixture followed by just one more match before he joins India A for the ACC Rising Stars Emerging tournament in Doha. The competition, scheduled to begin on November 19, will be played in the 50-over format.
Sooryavanshi enters the assignment on the back of recent international exposure. During India’s tour of New Zealand, he featured in two T20Is and scored an impressive 45 off just 19 balls. He shared a blistering 133-run opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma in just 7.1 overs, helping India set the tone for its innings. India eventually won the series 3-2.
Saturday’s match was Sooryavanshi’s eighth appearance for Bihar in T20 cricket and his 44th overall, including 23 matches for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
One of his most notable performances in the format came last November, when he smashed 144 off just 42 deliveries for India A against the UAE in the ACC Rising Stars tournament. The innings placed him among Indian batters with the joint third-fastest centuries in T20 cricket.
(IANS Inputs)
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