Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], December 22 (ANI): Star wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan has been named as the captain of Jharkhand for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite (VHT) 2025/26 season, as announced
by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). The VHT 2025/26 season is set to begin on December 24, with Jharkhand scheduled to play their first match against Karnataka in Ahmedabad. Apart from Kishan, the Jharkhand squad for the VHT 2025-6 season also includes Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Robin Minz, Abhinav Sharan, and Virat Singh. 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 Ishan, who had a marvellous Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 campaign with Jharkhand, led them to their first-ever SMAT title. He scored 517 runs in 10 innings at an exceptional average of 57.44, with two centuries and two fifties. Notably, he scored a match-winning 101 in the final against Haryana to help his team clinch the trophy. Following his SMAT heroics, Kishan has also returned to the Indian team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Kishan will feature in the Indian side as a second wicketkeeper-batter choice after Sanju Samson. Suryakumar Yadav will lead a 15-man squad in the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Shubman Gill, who has been the vice-captain of the T20I team, dropped amid fitness and form concerns, and Axar Patel returning to deputy duties. While speaking to ANI, Ishan Kishan expressed his delight on his comeback in the Indian squad and said, “I am very happy. Also very happy for my domestic team, Jharkhand, on winning their maiden SMAT trophy! Everyone played really well!” (ANI)
