The Duleep Trophy is set to return for another season, with teams gradually announcing their squads for the tournament. East Zone’s squad announcement attracted attention after 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was named the team’s vice-captain.
Sooryavanshi’s selection for the leadership role came after a remarkable run of performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his two half-centuries during the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Despite his growing reputation and impressive performances, his appointment as vice-captain at such a young age sparked considerable discussion.
East Zone selector Manish Vardhan explained the reason behind handing Sooryavanshi the responsibility ahead of the tournament. He said the decision was not only based on immediate results but also focused on helping the young cricketer develop leadership skills by closely observing the captain and understanding team management.
“We are not thinking about the present alone; a vice-captain gets to observe the captain closely and understand how a team is run. We wanted Vaibhav to be more involved with the group because we think it will help him as he develops. He’s an extremely talented cricketer and is maturing steadily. Giving him this responsibility is another part of that process,” Manish Vardhan said.
Pravanjan Mullick, another member of the selection committee, also backed the decision and highlighted Sooryavanshi’s potential to become a future leader. He said the youngster has the ability to grow into a player who could potentially lead the Indian team in the future.
“Ishan is the captain and, as wicketkeeper, he is involved in every phase of the game. This gives Vaibhav an opportunity to understand leadership without putting the responsibility of captaining the side on him. We want him to grow, maybe one day he could even captain India. That’s the thought behind giving him the vice-captaincy,” Mullick said.
