Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scripts history at 15, captains East Zone in Duleep Trophy semifinal

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another remarkable milestone to his rapidly rising cricket career on Sunday as he took charge of East Zone during their Duleep Trophy semifinal against Central Zone in Bengaluru. Sooryavanshi, who entered the tournament as East Zone's vice-captain, was handed the responsibility after regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced to leave the field with an injury during Central Zone's first innings. The teenager assumed captaincy during the 19th over, putting him in charge of a senior first-class side containing vastly more experienced players, including Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Kishan suffers wrist injury

Kishan sustained a blow to his right wrist while keeping wickets and received treatment from the team physiotherapists on the field. He was subsequently forced to leave for further assessment and was later seen on the sidelines with his wrist heavily strapped.

Kumar Kushagra took over the wicketkeeping duties, while Sooryavanshi stepped in as captain. The development meant the 15-year-old suddenly found himself setting fields and managing East Zone's bowling resources in a high-stakes semifinal against the defending champions.

Leadership role at just 15

Sooryavanshi's elevation to the captaincy comes barely a month after his appointment as East Zone vice-captain had generated considerable discussion. Selectors had defended the decision, arguing that exposing the youngster to additional responsibility was part of his long-term development.

Sooryavanshi is still at an early stage of his first-class career. Having made his debut in 2024, Sunday's semifinal is only his 10th first-class appearance and his second match in the Duleep Trophy. Despite his age, he was tasked with leading an East Zone side containing several seasoned domestic and international cricketers.

East Zone make early inroads

Kishan had earlier won the toss and opted to field against Rajat Patidar-led Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1. East Zone's bowlers made early breakthroughs before Sooryavanshi inherited the captaincy. Abhijit Sarkar removed Aman Mokhade for eight and Kunal Chandela for six as Central Zone slipped to 36 for two. By lunch, Central Zone had reached 81 for three, leaving the teenage stand-in captain with the task of maintaining the pressure in the knockout contest.

Another milestone in rapid rise

Sooryavanshi had a quiet outing with the bat in East Zone's previous match against North East Zone, scoring eight. He nevertheless made an unexpected contribution with his left-arm spin, picking up two wickets as East Zone secured a commanding innings-and-210-run victory. His temporary elevation to captaincy on Sunday marks another significant chapter in a career that has progressed at extraordinary speed. Regardless of how long Kishan remains unavailable, leading a senior zonal side in a Duleep Trophy semifinal at 15 has given Sooryavanshi an unusually early taste of first-class captaincy.