Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is only 15, but the teenager continues to find himself in situations that most cricketers experience much later in their careers.
A day after stepping up as East Zone’s stand-in captain
in the Duleep Trophy semi-final, Sooryavanshi returned to the middle on Monday and delivered with the bat, bringing up a fighting half-century against Central Zone in Bengaluru.
The youngster had started the semi-final as East Zone’s vice-captain. However, when regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced off the field after suffering a finger injury while keeping wickets, Sooryavanshi was handed the captaincy.
It was an unexpected responsibility, but he looked comfortable in the role. One of his biggest moments came when he opted for a DRS review against Central Zone opener Aryan Juyal, with just a few seconds remaining on the timer. The decision went his way as Juyal was eventually given out.
42 BALL FIFTY BY VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI IN THE DULEEP TROPHY SEMIS. pic.twitter.com/NOqjYXeWsJ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 31, 2026
Just 24 hours later, Sooryavanshi was back to doing what he has become known for scoring runs.
With Central Zone bowled out for 266, East Zone needed their batters to put together a strong response. Sooryavanshi opened the innings and made his opportunity count, reaching his half-century in the crucial semi-final.
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The knock also came at the right time for the teenager. He had managed only eight runs in East Zone’s quarter-final against North East Zone, although he made an impact with the ball by picking up two wickets in just three overs.
100-run stand 🙌 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhimanyu Easwaran with a solid opening stand so far 🤝 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/kyExeix2VY pic.twitter.com/7eVSb3iuPU
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) August 31, 2026
Now, he has responded with the bat when his team needed him most.
From making his IPL debut at 14 to playing senior domestic cricket and now taking charge of an East Zone side before scoring a fifty in a semi-final, Sooryavanshi’s rise continues to move at a remarkable pace.
