The 15-year-old Bihar skipper surpasses Croatia’s Zach Vukusic’s record after taking charge of his team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Indian teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has achieved another remarkable milestone by becoming the youngest captain in men’s T20 cricket history. The left-handed batter led Bihar in their opening fixture of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 competition, on Saturday.
At just 15 years and 232 days old, Sooryavanshi surpassed the previous record held by Croatia’s Zach Vukusic, who captained his national side at the age of 17 years and 311 days. The achievement places the young Indian among the most notable emerging talents in the sport.
However, his historic appearance as captain did not produce a winning result. Bihar suffered defeat against Saurashtra in their opening tournament match in Indore. Sooryavanshi contributed 18 runs from 12 deliveries before his side fell short.
Speaking about his son’s latest achievement, his father, Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, expressed confidence that the teenager would accomplish even greater milestones in the future. He also shared his hope of seeing Vaibhav eventually lead India’s senior national cricket team.
Sooryavanshi has already made history at international level. In July, he became India’s youngest men’s international cricketer when he made his T20 International debut against England in Manchester. His achievement also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of making his Test debut at 16 years and 205 days in 1989.
The youngster attracted considerable attention earlier this year through his outstanding performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Representing Rajasthan Royals, he accumulated 776 runs during the tournament, finishing as its highest run-scorer and winning the prestigious Orange Cap.
His IPL campaign included one century and five half-centuries, highlighting his exceptional batting ability at such a young age.
Sooryavanshi has so far featured in 10 T20 International matches, scoring 295 runs, including two half-centuries. His latest captaincy achievement further strengthens his reputation as one of India’s most promising young cricket prospects.
Youngest Captains in Men’s T20 Cricket History
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Bihar) – 15 years and 232 days
Zach Vukusic (Croatia) – 17 years and 311 days
Taimur Ali (Quetta Bears) – 17 years and 358 days
Laksh Bakrania (Tanzania) – 18 years and five days