What Happened to Bihar Cricket Team?

The Bihar Cricket Team's journey in Indian domestic cricket has been characterized by periods of participation, a prolonged absence, and a recent resurgence. The team initially competed in the Ranji Trophy from 1936-37 until the 2003-04 season. A major turning point occurred in 2000 with the creation of Jharkhand from Bihar, which led to most of the existing cricket infrastructure falling within the new state, effectively sidelining Bihar from top-tier domestic competitions for over a decade.

Years of administrative disputes and legal battles followed, with various factions claiming to represent Bihar cricket. The Supreme Court of India intervened, and in January 2018, directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow Bihar to participate in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments from the 2018-19 season onwards. This decision marked a significant reinstatement for Bihar cricket, ending an 18-year isolation.

Since its reinstatement, Bihar has worked to rebuild its cricketing foundation. The 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season saw the team finish at the bottom of Elite Group B without a single win, leading to their relegation to the Plate Group for the 2024-25 season. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, they again struggled, failing to win any matches in Group C and remaining in the Plate Group.

However, the 2025-26 domestic season proved to be a landmark year for Bihar. In January 2026, the team achieved a dominant victory in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group final against Manipur, winning by a massive 568 runs. This triumph secured their promotion back to the Elite Group for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season. Key performances included centuries from captain Sakibul Gani and wicketkeeper-batter Bipin Saurabh, and a double century from Piyush Singh. Earlier in January 2026, Bihar also clinched the Vijay Hazare Trophy (Plate Group) title, defeating Manipur by six wickets in the final, thereby earning promotion to the Elite League in that format as well.

Further highlighting their resurgence, in December 2025, Bihar shattered the List A world record for the highest team total, scoring an astounding 574/6 against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate Group. This innings featured a blistering 190 from 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and a 32-ball century from captain Sakibul Gani, making him the fastest Indian centurion in the 50-over format. Vaibhav Suryavanshi has emerged as a prodigious talent, becoming the youngest Indian to debut in T20 (2024) and List A (2024) cricket, the youngest to score a List A century (2025), and making his international T20I debut for India in July 2026 at just 15 years old. Sakibul Gani also made his IPL debut in 2026 for Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking 4 wickets for 24 runs.

In terms of infrastructure, the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) has been actively pursuing development. In January 2025, the Bihar government transferred the land registry for the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium to the BCA on a 30-year lease, with plans to develop it into an international-level stadium. Furthermore, in January 2026, the BCA signed a ₹498 crore (approximately $60 million USD) agreement for the construction of a new international-standard cricket complex in Rajendra Nagar, Patna, with a seating capacity of 40,000, expected to be completed within two years. The Rajgir International Cricket Stadium, with a capacity of 40,000, is also under construction and was expected to be ready by the end of 2025. These developments, coupled with a significantly increased state sports budget, underscore Bihar's commitment to fostering cricket and reclaiming its place on the national and potentially international cricketing map.