‘Bhool gaya’: Sooryavanshi’s hilarious response at toss on captaincy debut - Watch

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had a memorable and amusing moment during his historic captaincy debut on Saturday when the 15-year-old forgot Bihar's playing XI after winning the toss against Saurashtra in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026-27 opener at the Holkar Stadium.

Asked about his team's combination after opting to bat, Sooryavanshi responded with a smile: "I think, sir, bhool gaya lagta main (I think, sir, I have forgotten)." The light-hearted exchange quickly became a talking point on a landmark day for the teenage batting sensation, who became the youngest captain in men's T20 cricket history at 15 years and 232 days. Sooryavanshi broke the previous record held by Croatia's Zach Vukusic, who had captained his national side at 17 years and 311 days in a T20 International against Cyprus on August 7, 2025.

The Bihar youngster described the opportunity to captain his home state as a special moment, expressing gratitude for being entrusted with the responsibility. “It feels like a dream come true because I started playing cricket here, and getting the opportunity to lead the same state is a big thing. I am very grateful, and I will try to fulfil the responsibility given to me to the best of my ability," he said.

Bihar handed Sooryavanshi the leadership role for their first two matches of the domestic T20 competition. The appointment marks another milestone in his rapid rise, having made his India debut just five months ago. He was also named vice-captain of East Zone for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy, deputising for Ishan Kishan. His first outing as Bihar captain, however, did not produce a substantial contribution with the bat. Sooryavanshi scored 18 off 12 deliveries before being caught and bowled by left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya.

Bihar managed 137/9 in their 20 overs, with Prithvi Raj top-scoring with 38. Saurashtra chased down the target in 16.3 overs to register a five-wicket victory. Harvansh Pangalia led the chase with 33 off just 11 balls, hitting three sixes and three fours.

Sooryavanshi is expected to feature in only one more SMAT match before joining India A for the ACC Rising Stars Emerging tournament in Doha from November 19. His latest international outing came during India's T20I tour of New Zealand, where he scored 49 runs in two matches. His 19-ball 45, featuring in a 133-run opening stand with Abhishek Sharma in just 7.1 overs, was among the highlights of India's 3-2 series victory.