Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's selection in the East Zone squad for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy grabbed headlines after the 15-year-old was also named vice-captain under skipper Ishan Kishan. While the appointment underlines the faith selectors have in one of India's brightest young talents, it has also sparked debate, with veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle questioning the decision.
Taking to X, Bhogle said he was unsure about the reasoning behind handing a leadership role in senior first-class cricket to a player with limited experience in the format.
"I wonder what the thinking is behind making Sooryavanshi vice-captain of a senior red ball team. He has played 12 innings for 207 runs @ 17.25. His talent is extraordinary but there is a learning curve and he is at the bottom of it in red ball cricket," Bhogle wrote.
I wonder what the thinking is behind making Sooryavanshi vice-captain of a senior red ball team. He has played 12 innings for 207 runs @ 17.25. His talent is extraordinary but there is a learning curve and he is at the bottom of it in red ball cricket.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 30, 2026
Bhogle's comments were not aimed at Sooryavanshi's ability, which he described as "extraordinary", but at the timing of the leadership responsibility. His argument centred on the youngster's lack of exposure in first-class cricket, where he has played eight matches, scoring 207 runs in 12 innings at an average of 17.25, with a highest score of 93.
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The Duleep Trophy is one of India's premier first-class domestic tournaments and has long served as a stepping stone between the Ranji Trophy and the Indian Test team. Featuring zonal teams from across the country, the competition allows selectors to assess players against stronger opposition in multi-day cricket, making it a significant platform for aspiring Test cricketers. Leadership roles in the tournament are therefore viewed as an indication of a player's standing within the domestic circuit.
Despite his modest senior red-ball numbers, Sooryavanshi has enjoyed a meteoric rise across other formats. He became the youngest Indian first-class debutant in history when he played for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy at the age of 12. Later that year, he smashed a 58-ball century on his India Under-19 Test debut against Australia, the fastest hundred by an Indian in U-19 Tests.
His exploits have extended well beyond youth cricket. Sooryavanshi starred in India's victorious 2026 Under-19 World Cup campaign with a record-breaking 175 in the final against England. He then took the IPL by storm with Rajasthan Royals, amassing 776 runs in the 2026 season at a strike rate of 237.30, winning the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player and Emerging Player awards while breaking Chris Gayle's record for the most sixes in a single IPL season.
The teenager also became India's youngest men's international cricketer after making his T20I debut earlier this year, underlining why many regard him as one of the country's most exciting prospects despite the questions surrounding his red-ball leadership role.
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