It is a very impressive and significant event for the state of Bihar and Indian cricket in general that the 14-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been named the vice-captain for the first two matches of the next Ranji Trophy season, which is starting this Wednesday. The experienced player Sakibul Gani will be the captain, and Bihar is going to open its campaign against Arunachal Pradesh in the Plate League at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium, Patna from October 15. The Bihar Cricket Association made the announcement of the players' list late on Sunday.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi: Rising star of Indian cricket

Suryavanshi, who was only 12 when he got on board for the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy season, keeps making history in Indian cricket and he isn't even done yet. The talented left-handed batsman was in the limelight very early in this year when he was the youngest ever player to get an IPL less contract, which he got with Rajasthan Royals at the age of 13. In no time, he was the centre of attraction for his 35-ball hundred against Gujarat Titans, which made him the youngest batsman (14) to score a century in men's T20 cricket—also bringing him the second-fastest ton in IPL history along with that.

The youngster has also represented India Under-19 on tours to England and Australia, showcasing his maturity and talent well beyond his years. Despite his new leadership role with Bihar, Suryavanshi might not play the entire domestic season as he is likely to be considered for India’s Under-19 World Cup squad, scheduled to compete in Zimbabwe and Namibia early next year.

Bihar, who were relegated to the Plate League after a winless run in the previous Ranji season, will hope the youthful energy of Suryavanshi and the experience of Gani can spark a revival.

Bihar Squad: Piyush Kumar Singh, Bhashkar Dubey, Sakibul Gani (c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi (vc), Arnav Kishor, Ayush Loharuka, Bipin Saurabh, Amod Yadav, Nawaz Khan, Sakib Hussain, Raghvendra Pratap Singh, Sachin Kumar Singh, Himanshu Singh, Khalid Alam, Sachin Kumar.
(With PTI Inputs)