Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old, leads East Zone as stand-in captain in a Duleep Trophy semifinal after regular skipper Ishan Kishan withdraws due to injury. Multiple outlets report that Sooryavanshi takes over the leadership role for the match against Central Zone.
The injury details differ slightly by outlet: NDTV and Yahoo Sports cite a wrist injury, while Times of India says it is a thumb injury. Times of India also adds that Sooryavanshi is typically the vice-captain and had impressed with his bowling in the quarter-final, prompting confidence ahead of the semifinal. During the game, Times of India highlights a specific moment in which he makes a DRS-related decision on a caught-behind appeal, credited with helping East Zone secure a crucial wicket.
Across reports, the central theme is Sooryavanshi’s early entry into captaincy in first-class cricket, with the East Zone team beginning the semifinal strongly and maintaining pressure in the opening period.
