Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sweats it out in nets ahead of Duleep Trophy
New Delhi, August 11
Indian batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sweat it out in the nets after a successful recent tour of Zimbabwe, ahead of the new domestic season.
Sooryavanshi posted a video of himself practicing on his official Instagram handle, where he focused on a defensive and attacking approach to his batting alike.
"Preparation," said the caption of Sooryavanshi's post.
Sooryavanshi made his international debut at the age of 15 during the tour of England, but could not touch the 20-run mark in three innings he played there. India lost the series 1-4. His tour to Zimbabwe was much better, topping the run-charts with 151 runs in three innings with two fifties at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 196.10, including a knock of 81. He secured the 'Player of the Series' award as India sealed their first series under newly-appointed T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer after losses to Ireland and England.
In six T20Is, he has made 193 runs at an average of 32.16 and a strike rate of 189.21, with two fifties.
During the second T20I at Manchester against England, Sooryavanshi debuted for India at the age of 15 years and 99 days, becoming India's youngest international cricketer, breaking long-standing record of Sachin Tendulkar (Test debut at 16 years 205 days; ODI at 16 years 238 days).
The East Zone selectors have handed wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan the captaincy for the opening Duleep Trophy of the 2026-27 domestic season, while teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been appointed vice-captain.
The selection marks another significant milestone in Sooryavanshi's rapid rise after his breakthrough performances in the IPL and international cricket. The youngster is now set for an extended opportunity in the longer format and is expected to open the innings alongside seasoned Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, as per Cricinfo.
Duleep Trophy will start from August 23 onwards with a clash between East Zone and North East Zone.
East Zone squad: Ishan Kishan (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Jaiswal, Virat Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Subranshu Senapati, Abhijit Sarkar, Anukul Roy and Denish Das.
— ANI
Reader Comments
His Zimbabwe series was brilliant — 151 runs at a strike rate of 196! 🔥 But we shouldn't get too carried away. The Duleep Trophy will be a proper test of his temperament in the longer format. Hoping he learns from senior players like Shami and Kishan.
This kid has the right attitude. "Preparation" — that's it. No fancy words, just hard work. Reminds me of the old school approach. Also, great to see Ishan Kishan getting captaincy, and Vaibhav as deputy. East Zone looks strong with this squad!
Seriously impressed by his maturity. He failed in England but came back stronger in Zimbabwe. That's the mark of a true champion. Breaking Sachin's record is massive, but the real test will be consistency. I just hope the management doesn't overburden him with expectations too soon.
Great to see Indian cricket investing in young talent like Sooryavanshi. The Duleep Trophy will be a good platform for him to develop his red-ball game. Wishing him all the best from across the pond! 🏏
One concern though — he's only played T20s internationally. Tossing him straight into Duleep Trophy as vice-captain is a big leap. I'd rather he plays a few Ranji games first to adapt to the longer format. But I guess the selectors see something special in him. Let's trust the process.
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