The Duleep Trophy has been announced, featuring four teams from across India. Each team will consist of the best players selected from different zones. For the East Zone, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has been chosen as the deputy to Ishan Kishan, who will lead the team.
Despite being only 16 years old, Suryavanshi was considered for a leadership role, which has sparked significant backlash from critics questioning how he secured this position in light of the more experienced players in the squad.
'He Is Not the Captain': Selector Clarifies Leadership Role
According to Cricbuzz, one of the East Zone selectors clarified that Suryavanshi was not appointed as the captain, but rather as vice-captain to Ishan Kishan.
“He has not been made the captain; he has only been appointed as the vice-captain. The captain is Ishan Kishan. Additionally, since Ishan is a wicketkeeper, he will be actively involved throughout the match. It is not as though Vaibhav will be leading the team all day. He is maturing day by day, and giving him more responsibility will aid in his development,” said Pravanjan Mullick, a former Odisha Ranji player.
Mullick emphasized that this role represents a significant responsibility for the teenager, who is seen as a rising star for the Indian team and may one day lead the national squad.
“This is a great opportunity for him to embrace the role of vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. He is eager to perform well for the country, and we believe it is essential to give young players a chance to take on responsibilities. Who knows? We are hopeful that one day he could even become India's captain. That is the thought process behind appointing him as vice-captain,” Mullick added.
Selectors Defend Vaibhav Suryavanshi's Vice-Captaincy Appointment
Furthermore, Mullick highlighted that Suryavanshi previously served as the vice-captain of India’s U19 team, which won the World Cup.
“He was the vice-captain of India's Under-19 team that claimed the Under-19 World Cup. He has performed exceptionally well for the country and had an impressive IPL season with Rajasthan Royals. He is also the vice-captain of Bihar in first-class cricket,” Mullick told Cricbuzz.
Addressing the criticisms, Mullick stated that they are unfazed by the negative opinions, insisting it was a collective decision that they believe is right for the team.
“With all due respect to those expressing their views, everyone is entitled to their opinions. We cannot change that. However, we did what we believed was best for the team, and it was a collective decision,” he concluded.
