Sooryavanshi’s bright start ends quickly

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s much-anticipated Duleep Trophy campaign began with a brief burst of aggression before ending in disappointment. The 15-year-old scored eight runs for East Zone against North East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru.

Opening alongside Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sooryavanshi immediately found the boundary with back-to-back fours. His attacking approach, however, brought a swift end to his innings. Attempting to continue the assault, he edged Bishworjit Konthoujam’s delivery to Joseph Lalthankhuma at gully.

The dismissal came off the final ball of Konthoujam’s first over, leaving Sooryavanshi walking back after facing only six deliveries.

Red-ball test for teenage batting sensation

North East Zone won the toss and chose to bowl first, giving Sooryavanshi an early opportunity to make an impression in the longer format. He was named East Zone’s vice-captain, with Ishan Kishan leading a side that also includes Mohammed Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Kumar Kushagra, Shahbaz Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar.

The Duleep Trophy is an important chance for Sooryavanshi to build experience in first-class cricket after attracting significant attention for his performances in T20 cricket. His red-ball record remains modest: across eight first-class matches for Bihar, he has scored at an average of just over 17 in 12 innings, with a highest score of 93.

If East Zone advances, it will face either Central Zone or South Zone in the semifinal at the same venue from August 30.