NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may only be 15, but the teenage sensation is already showing the tactical awareness of a seasoned cricketer. The East Zone vice-captain played a key role in two crucial dismissals as his side tightened the screws on South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.After East Zone piled up a mammoth 708, largely courtesy of captain Ishan Kishan’s magnificent 270, South Zone appeared to be settling into their reply. But Sooryavanshi’s sharp reading of the game helped East Zone strike twice before tea on Day 3.
Sooryavanshi trusts his instinct for crucial DRS call
The first breakthrough came when Ricky Bhui appeared to have survived a caught-behind appeal against Mukesh Kumar. The pacer zipped one down the leg side as Bhui attempted to guide it away, but the on-field umpire remained unmoved despite the appeal.Sooryavanshi, however, was convinced there was something behind it. The teenager urged Kishan to take the Decision Review System (DRS), and his instinct proved spot on.UltraEdge showed a spike as the ball passed the bat, with wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra completing the catch to send Bhui back.BCCI also highlighted Sooryavanshi’s intervention on social media.“Take it… take it. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi urges the captain to take the review, and it turns out to be successful,” BCCI wrote, while sharing the video of the dismissal on X.It was another example of the youngster’s growing influence in senior cricket. His ability to make the call under pressure was particularly impressive.
Teenage vice-captain brings Shami back at the perfect time
Sooryavanshi’s tactical contribution did not end with the DRS call.With South Zone at 174/4 and only minutes remaining before tea, the youngster was temporarily standing in as captain after Kishan went off the field. He decided to bring Mohammed Shami back for a short burst despite the veteran pacer having already bowled a demanding spell.Shami had earlier walked off after bowling seven overs and had bowled only twice after lunch. He had also required treatment to his neck from the physio.Yet Sooryavanshi recognised the opportunity to use the experienced seamer for a quick spell before the interval.The move paid immediate dividends.Shami dismissed Smaran Ravichandran, the highest run-scorer of the previous Ranji Trophy season, when the Karnataka batter chased a delivery outside off and nicked it behind. The on-field umpire again did not give the batter out, but this time Kushagra urged Sooryavanshi to review.UltraEdge once again confirmed the edge.Ravichandran was gone, South Zone were reduced to 176/5, and Sooryavanshi had played a direct role in two of East Zone’s most important wickets.
DRS instinct becoming a Sooryavanshi trademark
The decision-making has not been a one-off for Sooryavanshi in this Duleep Trophy campaign.During East Zone’s semifinal against Central Zone in Bengaluru, the youngster made another bold DRS call after Aryan Juyal was initially given not out following a caught-behind appeal against Mukesh Kumar.Juyal, batting on 46, pushed hard at a delivery outside off and the East Zone players immediately appealed. When the umpire rejected the appeal, there was some hesitation among the fielders over whether to review.Sooryavanshi trusted his instinct and called for the review at the last moment. UltraEdge detected a spike, confirming the edge and handing East Zone a crucial wicket.The youngster had also spoken about his willingness to contribute with the ball during the tournament, joking that he considered himself a “wicket-taker”.“Opponent team’s wickets weren’t falling, so I was asked to bowl two or three overs. Ishan Bhaiya felt like he was taking a risk, but he didn’t know that I am a wicket-taker,” Sooryavanshi said in a video posted by BCCI Domestic.His batting may have made him one of Indian cricket’s most talked-about teenage prospects, but his Duleep Trophy campaign is increasingly showcasing another side of his game.
