Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal bats for Bihar IPL team in line with CSK, MI, GT

Vedanta Resources chairman Anil Agarwal has called for forming an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team from Bihar in line with Mumbai Indians (MI), Gujarat Titans (GT), Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

In a social media post Agarwal said as the cricketers like Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Suryavanshi continue to prove their mettle in the Indian cricket scene, Bihar deserves its own IPL team just like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.

“Don’t you think Bihar deserves an unparalleled team of its own, just like Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders? The soil of Bihar has given the country many exceptional cricketers,” he wrote on X.

Ishan Kishan scored the fastest ODI double century in terms of balls faced, whereas Vaibhav Suryavanshi is the youngest player to make an IPL debut. Saqib Hussain has also impressed the cricket watchers with his brilliant bowling in the ongoing IPL season.

“But one thing always bothers me: why hasn’t our Bihar yet earned the recognition and identity in cricket that we rightfully deserve?”

Furthermore, he said that he always wanted to ensure that the Bihari youth get full opportunities to excel in every field and receive world-class infrastructure and support in the state.

“I’m fully confident that if our children get the right inspiration and facilities, the team emerging from our Bihar will become the best in the world.”

“And I stand firmly with the youth of Bihar in this effort. I will provide unconditional support from my side to advance Bihar’s cricket team and its players here. For me, Bihar is not just a state — it’s an emotion. And now, the time has come for the talent of our soil to shine on the field,” he wrote towards the end of his post.

Soon after Agarwal’s post went viral, netizens shared their takes. While some users were optimistic about Agarwal’s take on Bihar having its own IPL team, others were a bit sceptical.

BCA welcomes

The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) has welcomed the positive views expressed by Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal regarding the possibility of Bihar having its own IPL franchise in the future. BCA officials said that such encouraging thoughts from a globally renowned industrialist and someone deeply connected to Bihar are highly motivating for the state’s cricket ecosystem, players, and millions of cricket fans.

The Bihar Cricket Association also welcomes remarks made by the Chief Minister of Bihar, Samrat Choudhary, regarding the development of cricket in the state and providing better opportunities to players.

Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal recently highlighted Bihar’s growing cricketing strength and expressed optimism about the state’s potential to have an IPL team in the coming years.

Referring to the emergence of talented cricketers from Bihar and the increasing popularity of the sport in the state, he emphasized that Bihar possesses immense cricketing passion and talent, which could eventually pave the way for an IPL franchise representing the state.

Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) President Harsh Vardhan said that continuous work has been done over the last 5–6 years to improve cricket infrastructure in Bihar. He said that the efforts are now reflecting in the performances of Bihar players at national platforms, including the Indian Premier League.

The BCA president also thanked the Bihar Government for its cooperation and support towards the development of cricket in the state.BCA Secretary Ziaul Arfeen said that currently three players from Bihar are associated with IPL franchises.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is with Rajasthan Royals, Saqib Hussain is part of Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mohammad Izhar is associated with Mumbai Indians. He added that these players are performing consistently and contributing significantly to their respective teams. Apart from them, several cricketers from Bihar are also working with IPL franchises as net bowlers.

The BCA Secretary further appreciated the contributions of former BCA President Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, current Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, members of the state cabinet, and senior administrative officials in the development of Bihar cricket.

He said that if Bihar cricket receives support from industrialists like Anil Agarwal, it would further accelerate the overall development of cricket infrastructure in the state.

Bihar has always been known for producing talented cricketers. With continuous development of infrastructure and proper guidance, Bihar cricket is steadily earning a new identity on the national stage.

The association believes that the state has immense potential to become a major cricketing hub in the future.

BCA expressed confidence that with continued support from the Bihar Government and leading industrialists like Anil Agarwal, young cricketers from the state will receive better facilities, exposure, and opportunities in the coming years. The association reiterated its commitment to the growth of cricket and the development of players in Bihar.

Users react

“Bihar has never lacked talent; the only shortage has been of the right platform and recognition. The soil that has produced players like Ishan Kishan, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Saqib Hussain deserves to have its own team in the IPL. Now is the time for Bihar’s passion and talent to shine before the entire cricket world through the IPL (sic),” a user commented.

A second user wrote, “How will you provide ‘unconditional support’? Are you planning to open a cricket academy in Bihar? Are you planning to build an international-level stadium in Bihar? What do you mean by “Unconditional support”? Will you just tweet on Twitter, or will you also get some work done on the ground? Please provide some clarity (sic).”

“Sir, you have my deepest gratitude for this thought. Please form a team from Bihar as well for the IPL. If a team from Bihar plays, the youth will be inspired, and Bihar’s talent will shine even brighter (sic),” a third user commented.

Another user said, “Don’t you think you could rise above cricket and focus on other sports? Hidden talent lies in the villages—take a look at their accounts. The Olympics #2028 is coming; think bigger, sir. You’ll see how a state rises in sports—just one medal or participants?”