Ishan Kishan Named Captain as Jharkhand Announce Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy

Ranchi: India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been appointed captain of the Jharkhand team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) Elite 2025/26 season, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) announced on Monday. The premier domestic 50-over tournament begins on December 24, with Jharkhand opening their campaign against Karnataka in Ahmedabad.

The squad for the season reflects a balanced blend of experience and emerging talent, featuring players such as Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Robin Minz, Abhinav Sharan and Virat Singh, as Jharkhand aim to continue their strong performances in white-ball cricket.

Kishan’s elevation to the captaincy comes on the back of an exceptional Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 campaign, where he led Jharkhand to their maiden SMAT title. The left-hander enjoyed a prolific tournament, scoring 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44, including two centuries and two half-centuries. His standout performance came in the final against Haryana, where he struck a commanding 101 to steer Jharkhand to a historic triumph.

His consistent domestic form has also earned him a recall to the Indian squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Kishan has been named as the second-choice wicketkeeper-batter, behind Sanju Samson, marking his return to the national setup after a period on the sidelines.

“He bats at the top in white-ball cricket. He’s been in good form. He’s played before for India. 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,” India chief selector Ajit Agarkar said during the press conference to announce the Men’s T20 World Cup squad.

**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.

— With inputs from IANS