Ishan Kishan Takes the Helm for Jharkhand's Vijay Hazare Campaign
The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) made a significant announcement on Monday, appointing dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan as the captain of the Jharkhand team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26 season. This decision comes on the back of Kishan's exceptional leadership and performance in the recent domestic T20 tournament.
The prestigious domestic one-day competition is scheduled to begin on December 24. Jharkhand will commence their campaign with a high-profile clash against Karnataka in Ahmedabad, setting the stage for an exciting season opener.
Strong Squad Assembled Under Kishan's Leadership
The Jharkhand squad boasts a blend of experience and promising talent. Alongside captain Kishan, the team includes established names like Virat Singh, Anukul Roy, Robin Minz, and Abhinav Sharan. Promising wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra has been named the vice-captain and will share the wicketkeeping responsibilities with Kishan, providing flexibility to the team management.
The selectors have placed their faith in Kishan to lead from the front, both as a tactician and a primary wicketkeeper. The full Jharkhand squad for the tournament is:
- 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
Riding High on SMAT Success and India Recall
Ishan Kishan's appointment is a natural progression following a spectacular Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 season. Under his captaincy, Jharkhand scripted history by clinching their first-ever SMAT title. Kishan was the cornerstone of this triumph, amassing a staggering 517 runs in 10 matches at an impressive average of 57.44.
His bat spoke volumes throughout the tournament, registering two centuries and two half-centuries. The pinnacle was his match-winning knock of 101 runs in the final against Haryana, an innings that played a decisive role in securing the maiden trophy for Jharkhand.
This rich vein of form in domestic cricket has earned Kishan a well-deserved recall to the national side. He has been selected in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, where he is slated to be the second-choice wicketkeeper-batter behind Sanju Samson. The Indian team for the global event will be led by Suryakumar Yadav. Notably, Shubman Gill has been omitted due to fitness and form concerns, while Axar Patel has returned as the vice-captain.
As Jharkhand gears up for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, all eyes will be on Ishan Kishan. The team and its fans will be hoping that his Midas touch from the SMAT carries forward, inspiring Jharkhand to another memorable campaign in the 50-over format.
