The importance of domestic cricket has once again come into focus as the Duleep Trophy prepares to get underway from September 6 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk.
South Zone captain Tilak Varma underlined how performances in domestic cricket can play a major role in earning a place in the national team, while East Zone captain Ishan Kishan spoke highly of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and his understanding of the red-ball game.
Tilak Varma: Domestic Cricket a Pathway to India
Speaking about the changing importance of the domestic circuit, Tilak pointed to Ishan Kishan's performances as an example of how players can force their way back into national contention.
“Just before the [2026 T20] World Cup, I have seen how Ishan Kishan has done in domestic cricket and that's why he was back into the World Cup team.”
Tilak stressed that the message applies to every player. Consistent performances in domestic competitions, he said, will remain an important pathway for those aspiring to represent India.
“Whoever has performed well in domestic, they will be coming to the national side, so domestic is a quite important part for every player.”
Ishan Kishan Backs Vaibhav's Cricketing Intelligence
Ishan, meanwhile, offered an encouraging assessment of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's ability to adapt to red-ball cricket.
Runs Remain the Priority
Despite the youngster's age and questions over his experience in four-day or five-day cricket, Ishan believes Vaibhav possesses the awareness required to succeed.
“I feel Vaibhav is very smart for a 15-year-old boy, I think he knows what he is doing.”
Ishan also highlighted Vaibhav's interactions with teammates and his willingness to learn. For him, the key is simple: scoring runs and contributing to the team.
“At the end of the day you just need to get runs out of him and that is what he is willing to do.”
