3 min readUpdated: Aug 7, 2026 01:44 PM IST
Domestic batting great Priyank Panchal questioned the decision to appoint Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as the East Zone vice-captain for the 2026-27 season-opening Duleep Trophy, starting August 23 in Bengaluru.
The East Zone squad that was announced last week raised eyebrows when the zonal selectors named the 15-year-old as deputy to his India teammate Ishan Kishan, who was appointed as captain of the side. Sooryavanshi, the only player from Bihar in the side, was elevated to the position in a side that also includes experienced stars such as Mohammad Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Panchal questioned the decision to elevate Sooryavanshi to a leadership role just eight matches into his First-Class career. The left-hander broke a heap of records last month, becoming India’s youngest-ever international player during India’s T20I tour to England and later won the Player of the Series award in Zimbabwe. However, the Bihar prodigy remains inexperienced on the First-Class circuit.
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Sooryavanshi has only featured in eight red-ball matches, scoring 207 runs at a 17.25 average with a solitary half-century.
“I think the zonal selectors could have avoided making Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the East Zone vice captain. It could put unnecessary pressure on the young kid. Let him understand the dynamics of red ball cricket first, properly, before entrusting such duties upon him,” Panchal wrote on X.
I think the zonal selectors could have avoided making Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the East Zone vice captain. It could put unnecessary pressure on the young kid. Let him understand the dynamics of red ball cricket first, properly, before entrusting such duties upon him. Thoughts?… pic.twitter.com/9pg8a8ymSs
— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) August 6, 2026
Meanwhile, the East Zone selectors defended the decision, insisting that the call on Sooryavanshi was a futuristic call.
“We are not thinking about the present alone,” Manish Vardhan, the Jharkhand selector on the East Zone selection committee, told Cricinfo.
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“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,” Vardhan added.
East Zone are slated to face North-East Zone in the initial round while the West Zone will take on North Zone. The winners of the respective matches will proceed to face South Zone and Central Zone in the semi-finals starting August 30, with the final scheduled to begin on September 5.
