Duleep Trophy: Ishan Kishan announced captain, Sooryavanshi made Vice-captain of this team; Shami included

East Zone has signaled a bold new era by naming 15-year-old phenom Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as vice-captain for the 2026–27 Duleep Trophy campaign. The aggressive left-handed opener will serve as deputy to skipper Ishan Kishan in a power-packed squad that also includes veteran India fast bowler Mohammed Shami. For Kishan—who made his return to the national fold earlier this year and contributed to India's T20 World Cup victory—the tournament provides a crucial stage to sharpen his form and stake a strong claim for a Test team recall.

Despite the presence of established stars, Sooryavanshi’s surprise leadership appointment has stolen the headlines. The Bihar-born prodigy's rapid rise from domestic performer to international sensation reflects immense trust in his composure under pressure. Having made his senior India debut against England in Manchester earlier this month, the teenager recently set Harare alight with a blistering, match-winning 81 off 49 balls against Zimbabwe—a performance that capped a stellar tour where he swept both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.

Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise is anchored by a remarkable knack for delivering on cricket’s biggest stages. Earlier this year, the teenager played a starring role in India’s U19 World Cup triumph in Zimbabwe, headlining the final against England with a sensational 175. That big-game mentality carried directly into the 2026 IPL playoffs, where he smashed clutch scores of 97 and 96 in the Eliminator and Qualifier 2. He kept that momentum rolling just last month, hammering a explosive 94 for India A in their tri-series final against Sri Lanka.

East Zone's squad boasts serious international firepower, led by veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami. Having last represented India in the Champions Trophy in March 2025, Shami was left out of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, making this red-ball tournament a crucial platform to prove his high-level capabilities to national selectors. He anchors an impressive Bengal pace trio alongside Mukesh Kumar and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal. On the batting front, seasoned domestic run-machine Abhimanyu Easwaran—a frequent standby for the national red-ball squad—will partner at the top of the order, offering a steady, experienced counterpart to Sooryavanshi’s high-octane strokeplay.

East Zone's squad for Duleep Trophy:

Ishan Kishan (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh, Subhranshu Senapati, Denish Das, Abhijit Sarkar.

Reserves: Swastik Samal, Sambit S. Baral, Sharandeep Singh, Ayush Loharuka, Sridam Paul