East Zone have handed teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a significant leadership role by appointing him as the vice-captain for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2026-27 campaign. The 15-year-old, who has already made waves with his explosive batting at the franchise level, will serve as deputy to captain Ishan Kishan in a squad that also features India pacer Mohammed Shami.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who has made a comeback to the India setup earlier this year and was part of the team which won the T20 World Cup, will look to use the tournament as an opportunity to regain momentum and push his case for a national comeback in Test cricket.
However, Sooryavanshi’s elevation to the vice-captaincy is the biggest talking point from the squad announcement. The left-handed opener from Bihar has rapidly risen through the ranks, becoming one of Indian cricket’s most talked-about young prospects. His aggressive strokeplay and ability to score quickly have earned him recognition at a very young age, and the leadership responsibility underlines the faith placed in his maturity.
The teenager made his international debut for India earlier this month in the second T20I against England at Manchester and made his highest score of 81 runs in 49 balls against Zimbabwe in the third T20I in Harare on Sunday. He was adjudged the Player of the Match as well as the Player of the Series for his performances.
“Yes, it’s truly a dream come true moment. Getting my first Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards, I’m very happy. It felt really good. Our preparation was very good during the two or three days after we arrived in Harare. I also played the Under-19 World Cup here, so I really enjoy playing at this venue. Everyone backed me – the captain, the coaches, everyone – so I’m very happy,” he said on Sunday.
He was part of India’s side that won the Under-19 World Cup in Zimbabwe earlier this year, where he made 175 in the final against England.
In his short career so far, Sooryavanshi has shown a penchant to rise to the occasion in big games. The left-hander made 97 and 96 in the IPL 2026 Eliminator and Qualifier 2 matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, respectively.
He also made a blistering 94 in the final of the tri-series while playing for India A against Sri Lanka last month.
The squad also includes experienced India fast bowler Mohammed Shami. The Bengal pacer last played for India in the Champions Trophy last March, was not picked in India’s squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka announced on Tuesday, but has a chance to use the Duleep Trophy to indicate to the selectors that he remains a threat even at an advancing age.
His presence will add considerable firepower to East Zone’s bowling attack. Alongside Shami, Bengal pacers Mukesh Kumar and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal provide further pace options.
The batting unit features Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and has been on the fringes of India’s Test squad. His experience at the top of the order will complement the attacking approach of Sooryavanshi.
Jharkhand’s Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh and Shikhar Mohan are among the other notable names in the squad. Odisha’s Subhranshu Senapati and Assam’s Denish Das add further depth to the middle order.
The appointment of Sooryavanshi as vice-captain could prove to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the tournament. For a player still in his teenage years, sharing a dressing room with established names like Shami and Kishan offers a valuable learning opportunity. It also signals that Indian domestic cricket is willing to invest responsibility in its brightest young talents.
East Zone squad: Ishan Kishan (captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh, Subhranshu Senapati, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Denish Das, Abhijit Sarkar.
Stand-bys: Ayush Loharuka, Sridam Paul, Sambit S. Baral, Sharandeep Singh, Swastik Samal
