Bengaluru, Aug 30: Teen batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was handed the captaincy of East Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone here on Sunday after regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced off the field with a wrist injury.
The 15 year old left-handed batter, who entered the match as East Zone’s vice-captain, took over the leadership during the 19th over of Central Zone’s innings, marking his first captaincy assignment for a senior men’s team.
Kishan was struck on his right wrist while keeping wickets and received treatment from the team physios before leaving the field for further assessment. He later returned with his hand strapped, while Jharkhand teammate Kumar Kushagra took over the wicketkeeping duties.
Sooryavanshi’s elevation to captain comes barely a week after his appointment as East Zone vice-captain had generated debate, with selectors insisting that the responsibility was part of a long-term development plan for the teenager.
“We are not thinking about the present alone,” Jharkhand selector Manish Vardhan, who is part of the East Zone selection committee, had said while explaining the decision.
The teenager’s promotion is particularly notable given his limited first-class experience. The Central Zone clash is only his second Duleep Trophy appearance, while he has played nine first-class matches since making his Ranji Trophy debut in early 2024.
Sooryavanshi had a modest start to his Duleep Trophy campaign, scoring just eight runs in East Zone’s opening-round victory over North East Zone. He did, however, contribute with the ball by taking two wickets.
Overall, he has scored 215 runs in nine first-class matches at an average of 16.53, including one half-century.
Despite those modest numbers, Sooryavanshi’s rise has been rapid. He made his international debut against England earlier this year following a sensational Indian Premier League campaign in which he amassed 776 runs for Rajasthan Royals.
He subsequently strengthened his credentials on the international stage by being named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe after scoring more than 200 runs in the three-match contest.
In Sunday’s semi-final, East Zone had made an encouraging start with the ball before Kishan’s injury. Central Zone, led by Rajat Patidar, were reduced to 36 for two after Abhijit Sarkar dismissed Aman Mokhade for eight and Kunal Chandela for six.
Sooryavanshi’s unexpected elevation now adds another significant milestone to a remarkable rise that has seen him move from teenage prospect to international cricketer and, at just 15, captain of a senior representative side.
