Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hits the nets at RR Academy to prove red-ball pedigree in Duleep Trophy

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set to embrace a new leadership role, having been named vice-captain of the East Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. Operating under the leadership of team captain Ishan Kishan, the 15-year-old prodigy is shifting his complete focus toward multi-day cricket ahead of the tournament's kickoff on August 23.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi kicks off Duleep Trophy preparation

His elevation follows a stellar campaign in the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Announcing his arrival on the international stage, Sooryavanshi earned the Player of the Series award after amassing 151 runs across three innings at an average of 50.33, a run haul highlighted by two explosive half-centuries and a vital 20-run contribution.

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To prepare for the transition to the longer format, the Rajasthan Royals player has been honing his red-ball skills at the franchise's Centre of Excellence in Talegaon, near Nagpur.

Sooryavanshi trains under Vikram Rathour

Joining the young prodigy at the High Performance Centre are several of his franchise teammates, alongside Rajasthan Royals assistant coach Vikram Rathour, who is providing hands-on mentorship during these red-ball training sessions.

This multi-player camp aligns with the vision outlined by RR Head of Operations Romi Bhinder, who emphasized that the facility was established to offer year-round, top-tier infrastructure aimed at nurturing young talent far beyond the confines of the IPL season. Coming off a strong previous season where they narrowly missed a final appearance, the franchise continues to focus heavily on player development.

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The ongoing 10-day preparation program features a mix of established and emerging talent, including Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Ravi Singh, and Sushant Mishra working alongside Sooryavanshi. Among the attendees, both Sooryavanshi and Deshpande are sharpening their skills ahead of their respective Duleep Trophy campaigns for East Zone and West Zone.

East Zone squad for Duleep Trophy:

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