SMAT 2026: Sooryavanshi becomes youngest captain in men’s T20 history
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Indore, Nov 14 : Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another remarkable milestone to his rapidly growing 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 here at the Holkar Stadium.
At 15 years and 232 days, Sooryavanshi took over the record from Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who had captained his national team at 17 years and 311 days. The Bihar teenager thus became the youngest player to lead a team in the shortest format, underlining the extraordinary pace of his rise in the game.
The appointment marks another significant moment for a batter whose career has gathered momentum across formats and age groups. He made his T20I debut for India just five months ago and was also part of the country’s Under-19 World Cup-winning campaign in Zimbabwe earlier this year.
His first outing as Bihar captain, however, did not produce a substantial contribution with the bat. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Sooryavanshi managed 18 runs from 12 deliveries before being caught and bowled by left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya.
The teenager’s availability for Bihar in the tournament will be limited, with the Saurashtra fixture followed by only 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 heads into the assignment with recent international experience behind him. During India’s tour of New Zealand, he featured in two T20Is and made an impressive 45 off just 19 balls in a blistering opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma. The pair added 133 runs in only 7.1 overs, setting the tone for India’s innings in that contest. India went on to win the series 3-2.
Saturday’s appearance was only Sooryavanshi’s eighth T20 match for Bihar and his 44th overall, including 23 outings for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
One of his most explosive performances in the format came last November, when he smashed 144 off 42 balls for India A against the UAE at the ACC Rising Stars tournament. The innings placed him among the Indian batters with the joint third-fastest centuries in T20 cricket.
At 15 years and 232 days, Sooryavanshi took over the record from Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who had captained his national team at 17 years and 311 days. The Bihar teenager thus became the youngest player to lead a team in the shortest format, underlining the extraordinary pace of his rise in the game.
The appointment marks another significant moment for a batter whose career has gathered momentum across formats and age groups. He made his T20I debut for India just five months ago and was also part of the country’s Under-19 World Cup-winning campaign in Zimbabwe earlier this year.
His first outing as Bihar captain, however, did not produce a substantial contribution with the bat. After winning the toss and opting to bat, Sooryavanshi managed 18 runs from 12 deliveries before being caught and bowled by left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya.
The teenager’s availability for Bihar in the tournament will be limited, with the Saurashtra fixture followed by only 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 heads into the assignment with recent international experience behind him. During India’s tour of New Zealand, he featured in two T20Is and made an impressive 45 off just 19 balls in a blistering opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma. The pair added 133 runs in only 7.1 overs, setting the tone for India’s innings in that contest. India went on to win the series 3-2.
Saturday’s appearance was only Sooryavanshi’s eighth T20 match for Bihar and his 44th overall, including 23 outings for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
One of his most explosive performances in the format came last November, when he smashed 144 off 42 balls for India A against the UAE at the ACC Rising Stars tournament. The innings placed him among the Indian batters with the joint third-fastest centuries in T20 cricket.
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