Vaibhav Sooryavanshi enters Duleep Trophy as East Zone vice-captain

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will combine batting duties with vice-captaincy responsibilities when East Zone begin their Duleep Trophy campaign next week. The 15-year-old was named deputy to Abhimanyu Easwaran for the tournament. Sooryavanshi scored 776 runs in 16 IPL matches for Rajasthan Royals earlier this year and earned Player of the Series honours during India's T20I tour of Zimbabwe last month. The dual role will test the teenager's ability to manage leadership duties alongside the technical demands of red-ball cricket. East Zone open their campaign against Central Zone in Bengaluru on Sunday.