Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old prodigy, appears to be taken seriously by the BCCI as an all-format talent.
He has been selected the East Zone squad’s vice-captain and will take up leadership duties during the Duleep Trophy 2026. Meanwhile, renowned wicketkeeper-batsman and Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan has been appointed as the wrecker-in-chief.
The selection committee convened at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where they also met with Sourav Ganguly, head of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
The East Zone selection committee has also selected a multitude of players that can pose a threat to their opponents at the premier competition, which also kicks off India’s domestic season in 2026-27.
The East Zone roster also has a Bengal-heavy pace attack, led by Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal.
What’s more unexpected is that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has had a very poor first-class record, scoring just 207 runs in eight matches and average 17.25.
The selection committee recognises the opening batter’s talent and encourages him to gain leadership experience before making his senior Indian debut across formats.
At such a young age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s selection as vice-captain of the East Zone side is a source of great pride for Bihar cricket.
Deccan Herald reported Bihar Cricket Association president Harsh Vardhan as saying, “He has earned the trust of the selectors through his outstanding performances and mature approach to the game.”
Apart from Vaibhav Sooryavanshiand Kishan, the batting lineup includes Abhimanyu Easwaran, an experienced campaigner. Bengal batsman Sudip Kumar Gharami is also anticipated to bat in the middle order.
Kumar Kushagra is projected to be Ishan’s backup wicketkeeper, while Shahbaz Ahmed and Anukul Roy are spin bowling all-rounders.
East Zone’s entire squad for the Duleep Trophy 2026:
Ishan Kishan (captain & wicketkeeper), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vc), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Shikjar Mohan, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh, Subhransu Senapati, Denish Das, Abhijit Sarkar
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