MS Dhoni To Ishan Kishan: Bihar-Born Players To Represent Indian Cricket Team

Bihar-Born Players To Represent Indian Cricket Team (Source: AFP)

Indian cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is on the verge of scripting history after earning his maiden India call-up, with a potential debut against Ireland putting several long-standing age records within reach.

The 15-year-old cricketer was named in India’s T20I squads for the tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games. He became the youngest-ever player to be picked for the Indian national side, breaking a 36-year-old record held by legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

The ‘God of Cricket’,  Sachin, made his India debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16, setting a record that stood for a very long time. If Sooryavanshi finds a place in the playing 11 during India’s tour, he will become the youngest Indian to play international cricket at the age of 15.

Notably, Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden national call-up following a sensational IPL 2026 campaign with Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs at a staggering strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five fifties. His explosive season saw him finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer while smashing a record 72 sixes.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set to make Bihar Proud

For those living under a rock, when batting maestro Virat Kohli last met the Indian cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he had a special message for him.

After Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their second consecutive IPL title, Kohli was seen congratulating the Bihar prodigy, who swept the season awards. Sooryavanshi was named Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season, Super Sixes of the Season, Orange Cap winner, and Most Valuable Player, capping off a sensational tournament.

Also read: All Awards Won By Vaibhav Sooryavanshi In IPL 2026

Kohli gave Sooryavanshi plenty of words to remember for life. However, what got highlighted the most was, "Bas bat aur tum... Ek Bihari, sab pe bhari. Khatam game" (Just you and your bat. One Bihari is enough to outshine everyone. Game over).

Indeed, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's India debut is set to give the country a lot to be proud of. But for his home town, Samastipur, Bihar, this means a lot more.

For years, Bihar has existed on the margins of Indian cricket. It is worth noting that talent has never been in scarce; opportunities and pathways have been. In the past few years, a trend has been common: young cricketers leaving Bihar in search of chances to play the sport the love.

In an interview, Sooryavanshi's first coach, Brajesh Jha, emphasised the same: “There was cricket in Bihar, but there was nothing to achieve in cricket.”

List of Bihar-born players to represent Indian Cricket Team

The history of cricket in Bihar has been marred by several unfortunate circumstances, including the 2000 de-affiliation by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which barred the state from participating in national tournaments. 

And most recently, the bizarre administrative failure that unfolded when 2 completely different squads claimed to represent Bihar in their Ranji Trophy opening match against Mumbai in 2024. 

As Sooryavanshi prepares to bring honour to the country, especially Bihar, let’s take a look at the list of Bihar-born players to represent Indian Cricket Team.

Note for the readers: The astrick (*) signifies that the player was born before the Bihar and Jharkhand’s seperation on November 15, 2000. Notably, before the division, the two regions were part of a single undivided state called Bihar. 

Thus, it wasn’t until November 2000 that the state of Jharkhand was officially carved out of Bihar, becoming a separate state.  

Also read: IND vs IRE Live Streaming, Live Telecast- 1st T20I: Where To Watch India Tour Of Ireland 2026?