Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Becomes Youngest T20 Captain at 15
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest T20 captain in men’s cricket history on Saturday, leading Bihar against Saurashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the age of 15 years and 232 days.
The record came in Bihar’s opening match of India’s domestic T20 competition at Holkar Stadium in Indore. Sooryavanshi won the toss and chose to bat, but his first match as captain ended in a five-wicket defeat.
The youngest T20 captain record
Sooryavanshi surpassed Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who previously held the record after captaining his national side at 17 years and 311 days. The teenager beat the old mark by more than two years.
The Bihar Cricket Association named Sooryavanshi captain for the opening two matches of the tournament, with Suraj Kashyap as vice-captain. A 17-member squad was announced for the two fixtures.
His captaincy assignment is a short one. Bihar next face Railways on November 16, and after that he is due to join the India A squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament in Doha, which begins on November 19 and will be played in the 50-over format.
Defeat on a historic day
Sooryavanshi started his innings with a boundary off the first balls he faced, but his stay at the crease was brief. He scored 18 runs off 12 deliveries before Saurashtra left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya caught him off his own bowling in the fifth over. Bihar were 35 for two at that stage.
Bihar struggled to build a substantial total after being sent in to bat and finished on 137 for nine in their 20 overs. Prithvi Raj top-scored with 38 off 27 deliveries, hitting four sixes, while Altamish contributed 24.
Saurashtra, led by experienced pacer Jaydev Unadkat, chased the target down with control. Despite losing five wickets, they reached 138 with 21 balls to spare. Ruchit Ahir and Siddhant Rana, both unbeaten on 21, took their side over the line.
The defeat did not take away from the occasion. At 15, Sooryavanshi had already led a senior state side in a major domestic competition, a stage few players reach at any age.
A rise that keeps breaking records
This was not the teenager’s first record. In July, Sooryavanshi became India’s youngest men’s international when he made his T20 debut against England in Manchester. He was 15 years and 99 days old, eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing mark, and became India’s 122nd men’s T20 international.
He has since played 10 T20 internationals, scoring 295 runs with two half-centuries. He is widely regarded as one of India’s brightest young prospects.
His rise began with a blistering 35-ball century in the Indian Premier League last year. He underlined his credentials in this year’s IPL by finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, striking at more than 237 and setting a competition record with 72 sixes.
Pakistan’s own young players have also made early marks on the international stage. Maaz Sadaqat climbed 187 places in the ICC T20 rankings after his rise this year, while Pakistan sealed their T20 series against Sri Lanka with an 82-run win. The national side’s next assignment is the ODI tri-series, with seven players joining the squad and England arriving in Islamabad on Friday. In the longer format, Hasan Mahmud became the first Bangladesh pacer to take a Test hat-trick this season.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?
He is 15 years and 232 days old. He became the youngest captain in men’s T20 history when he led Bihar against Saurashtra on November 14, 2026.
Whose record did Sooryavanshi break?
He surpassed Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who previously held the record after captaining his national side at 17 years and 311 days.
How did his first match as captain go?
Bihar lost to Saurashtra by five wickets. Sooryavanshi scored 18 runs off 12 balls, and Bihar posted 137 for nine. Saurashtra chased the target with 21 balls to spare.
How long will Sooryavanshi captain Bihar?
He was named captain for the opening two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy only. After the match against Railways on November 16, he joins the India A squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha.
What other records does Sooryavanshi hold?
He became India’s youngest men’s international in July 2026, at 15 years and 99 days, eclipsing Sachin Tendulkar’s mark. He also hit a 35-ball century in the IPL and set a competition record with 72 sixes in this year’s tournament.
