Ishan Kishan Appointed Captain of Jharkhand for VHT 2025/26
Ishan Kishan Takes the Helm for Jharkhand in VHT 2025/26
Ishan Kishan, the prominent wicketkeeper-batter, has been appointed as the captain of Jharkhand for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite (VHT) 2025/26 season, as confirmed by the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA). The tournament is set to kick off on December 24, with Jharkhand's opening match against Karnataka in Ahmedabad.
The squad for the VHT 2025/26 season also features notable players such as Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Robin Minz, Abhinav Sharan, and Virat Singh.
Complete Jharkhand Squad for VHT 2025/26
The following players have been selected for the Jharkhand team in the 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
Impressive Performance and National Team Recall
Ishan Kishan had an outstanding performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26, leading Jharkhand to their inaugural title. He amassed 517 runs in 10 innings, boasting an impressive average of 57.44, including two centuries and two fifties. His pivotal 101 runs in the final against Haryana secured the championship for his team.
Following his success in the SMAT, Kishan has been recalled to the Indian squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. He will serve as the second wicketkeeper-batter, alongside Sanju Samson. Suryakumar Yadav will captain the 15-member team, while Shubman Gill has been dropped due to fitness and form issues, with Axar Patel returning to the vice-captain role.
Kishan's Joyful Return
In a statement to the media, Ishan Kishan expressed his happiness regarding his return to the Indian team, stating, "I am very happy. Also very happy for my domestic team, Jharkhand, on winning their maiden SMAT trophy! Everyone played really well!"