Teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been entrusted with a major responsibility after being named East Zone’s vice-captain for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy. The 15-year-old will serve as deputy to India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan in a squad that also boasts veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami.
Sooryavanshi’s appointment stands out as the biggest takeaway from the squad announcement, reflecting the confidence selectors have in one of India’s fastest-rising batting talents. The Bihar youngster has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past year, earning praise for his fearless approach and explosive stroke-making despite his age. He was also named as the vice-captain for Bihar during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season for the first two rounds.
The left-handed opener recently broke into the Indian senior team, making his T20I debut against England in Manchester earlier this month. He followed it up with a memorable knock of 81 off 49 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare. The news of his appointment as East Zone vice-captain comes on the same day he made a big jump of 230 places in the latest ICC T20I rankings.
For captain Ishan Kishan, the Duleep Trophy presents an opportunity to build on his return to the national setup. Having been part of India’s triumphant T20 World Cup squad earlier this year, the wicketkeeper-batter will be keen to deliver consistent performances in domestic cricket as he looks to cement his place across formats.
Experienced pacer Mohammed Shami also headlines the East Zone squad. The Bengal quick has not represented India since the Champions Trophy in March and was overlooked for the recently announced Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. A strong showing in the Duleep Trophy could help the seasoned seamer remind selectors of his value in the longer format.
Shami will spearhead a pace attack that also includes Bengal teammates Mukesh Kumar and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, giving East Zone a formidable fast-bowling unit.
The batting department features another familiar name in Abhimanyu Easwaran. The Bengal opener has consistently piled up runs in domestic cricket and remains on the fringes of India’s Test squad. His experience is expected to provide stability alongside the attacking flair of Sooryavanshi at the top of the order.
East Zone have also included a strong contingent from Jharkhand, with Kumar Kushagra, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh and Shikhar Mohan earning places in the squad. Odisha’s Subhranshu Senapati and Assam batter Denish Das further strengthen the middle order.
East Zone Squad for Duleep Trophy 2026
Abhimanyu Easwaran (CAB), Sudip Kumar Gharami (CAB), Shahbaz Ahmed (CAB), Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal (CAB), Mohammed Shami (CAB), Mukesh Kumar (CAB), Ishan Kishan (C, JSCA), Kumar Kushagra (JSCA), Shikhar Mohan (JSCA), Anukul Roy (JSCA), Virat Singh (JSCA), Subhranshu Senapati (OCA), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (VC, BCA), Denish Das (ACA) and Abhijit Sarkar (TCA).
Standbyes: Ayush Loharuka (BCA), Sridam Paul (TCA), Sambit S Baral (OCA), Sharandeep Singh (JSCA) and Swastik Samal (OCA).
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