Priyank Panchal, the domestic cricket stalwart, is the latest name to voice his concern with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi being made the vice-captain of East Zone for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. In the Zonal tournament, the left-handed batter would serve as the deputy to Ishan Kishan. However, the latest move has not gone down well with several fans and experts, saying the youngster should be given time to adjust to the demands of the sport.
Sooryavanshi’s elevation to vice-captaincy came just days after he was adjudged as Player of the Series in Zimbabwe, where he scored 151 runs in the three matches, including an 81-run knock in the third and final T20I.
It is worth highlighting that Sooryavanshi has played only eight first-class games for Bihar, and he was chosen as Kishan’s deputy ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has 113 first-class appearances.
However, Panchal has now stated that making Sooryavanshi the vice-captain could have been avoided, as the need of the hour is for him to understand the dynamics of red-ball cricket.
“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? #DuleepTrophy,” Panchal wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
‘Not present’
Earlier, an East Zone selector defended the move, saying the call was made with the future in mind. He also added that becoming vice-captain would help Sooryavanshi better understand the game.
“We are not thinking about the present alone,” Manish Vardhan, the former cricketer who is Jharkhand’s representative on the East Zone selection committee, told Cricinfo.
“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,” he added.
The 63rd edition of the Duleep Trophy will get underway on August 23, with East Zone taking on North-East Zone and West Zone taking on North Zone.
The winners of these two matches will then play South Zone and Central Zone in the semi-finals on August 30. The final is scheduled for September 5. All the matches are scheduled to be played at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.