Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, all set to captain Bihar in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as selectors look for fresh direction

KOLKATA: At 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set for his first assignment as Bihar’s senior team captain, with the selectors handing the teenage batting sensation the reins for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The move underlines their faith in his leadership potential as Bihar seek a turnaround after losing all four of their opening Ranji Trophy matches.Sakibul Gani led Bihar in the first three Ranji games before Mangal Mahrour took over against Goa, but neither captain could arrest the slide. The BCCI-appointed selection committee, headed by Harvinder Singh, has now turned to Vaibhav, with Suraj Kashyap named his deputy for the domestic T20 tournament.The decision by the selection committee, led by chief selector Harvinder Singh and comprising Amitabh Vijayvargiya and S Sarath, marks another significant step in Vaibhav’s rapid rise. Having represented Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and made his India debut in T20Is, the teenager has quickly established himself as one of the country’s most exciting batting prospects.His recent international exploits included a 45 off 19 balls against New Zealand in the third T20I, where he shared a record-breaking opening stand with Abhishek Sharma.Vaibhav has also had a taste of leadership at the zonal level. Named vice-captain of the Ishan Kishan-led East Zone side, he briefly took charge during the Duleep Trophy semifinal when Kishan left the field with a finger injury. During that spell, he also successfully executed a DRS call.However, his rapid elevation to positions of responsibility comes amid questions about the need to balance expectations with his development. Sachin Tendulkar recently advocated giving Vaibhav more opportunities in red-ball cricket to help him grow as a complete cricketer, while cautioning against placing excessive responsibility on his young shoulders too early.The selectors, though, appear to have a different assessment, with the Bihar captaincy adding another responsibility to Vaibhav’s expanding portfolio.BCA president Harsh Vardhan said the appointment would provide the youngster another opportunity to develop as a leader. “Vaibhav has already demonstrated tremendous talent, confidence and maturity at a young age, and this responsibility will provide him with another opportunity to grow as a cricketer and leader,” he said.Bihar begin their SMAT campaign in Indore on Nov 14. The 17-member squad also includes Mahrour and Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Shakib Hussain, whose availability will depend on fitness assessments after the first two matches. Singh and Vijayvargiya will be present in Indore to watch Bihar’s matches.The squad: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (c), Alok Kumar, Ayush Loharuka (wk), Altamash Ashraf, Param Kumar Singh, Anmol Kumar (wk), Ritwik Raj, Suraj Kashyap (v-c), Mayank Kumar, Raghvendra Pratap, Ashish Kumar, Vasudev Pratap Singh, Md Izhar, Amod Yadav, Prashant Singh, Nawaz Khan and Himanshu Singh.Pic caption: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (3rd from left) with (from left) Bihar coach Ashutosh Aman and selectors Amitabh Vijayvargiya and Harvinder Singh at Moin-ul Haq Stadium in Patna on Friday (Pic courtesy: BCA)