Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi
Ranchi, Dec 22: India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been appointed captain of Jharkhand for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite (VHT) 2025/26, confirmed the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). The domestic 50-over tournament starts on December 24, with Jharkhand opening their campaign against Karnataka in Ahmedabad.
The squad blends experience with youth, featuring players like Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Robin Minz, Abhinav Sharan, and Virat Singh, as Jharkhand aims to build on recent successes in white-ball cricket.
Kishan’s captaincy follows his exceptional performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26, where he led Jharkhand to their maiden SMAT title. He scored 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44, including two centuries and two fifties, with a standout 101 in the final against Haryana.
His consistent domestic performances have also earned him a recall to the Indian squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as the second-choice wicketkeeper-batter behind Sanju Samson.
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar said, “He bats at the top in white-ball cricket. He’s been in good form. He has a double hundred in one-day cricket. He wasn’t in the Indian team because there’s a Rishabh Pant and a Dhruv Jurel ahead. They’re two pretty good players.”
Jharkhand Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025/26:
• Ishan Kishan (WK & Captain)
• Virat Singh
• Utkarsh Singh
• Kumar Kushagra (WK & Vice-Captain)
• Robin Minz
• Anukul Roy
• Sharandeep Singh
• Shikhar Mohan
• Pankaj Kumar (WK)
• Bala Krishna
• Md Kounain Quraishi
• Shubh Sharma
• Amit Kumar
• Manishi
• Abhinav Sharan
• Sushant Mishra
• Vikash Singh
• Saurabh Shekhar
• Rajandeep Singh
• Shubham Singh
Jharkhand will aim to continue their strong white-ball performances under Kishan’s leadership in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.