Beyond the carnage, Ishan Kishan spots what makes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi special: ‘Very smart for a 15-year-old boy’

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's power-hitting grabs attention, but Ishan Kishan says the 15-year-old's game sense and cricketing intelligence stand out just as much.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already shown that the explosive batting which propelled him into national attention can survive the demands of red-ball cricket. Ahead of the Duleep Trophy final, however, East Zone captain Ishan Kishan pointed to another aspect of the 15-year-old’s development that has caught his eye — his understanding of the game.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the Duleep Trophy semifinal. (PTI)

East Zone face South Zone in the five-day Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from September 6 to 10. The summit clash was moved from the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to Chepauk to allow spectators to attend the marquee domestic fixture.

Kishan confirmed on the eve of the match that East Zone would have their full-strength side available, ending uncertainty over whether he and Sooryavanshi would have to leave early because of their selection in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Afghanistan series. South Zone captain Tilak Varma is also available for the final, while KL Rahul will miss the contest.

Sooryavanshi reaches Chennai after playing a major part in East Zone’s four-wicket semi-final victory over defending champions Central Zone. He struck 92 from 81 balls in the first innings, with seven fours and seven sixes, and became the youngest batter in Duleep Trophy history to score a half-century, breaking a record that had stood for 57 years. He then contributed another 40 during East Zone’s successful chase of 159.

There was another, quieter indication of his development during the semi-final. With Kishan leaving the field for treatment, vice-captain Sooryavanshi temporarily took charge of East Zone. He even played a part in a successful DRS call against Central Zone opener Aryan Juyal, offering an early glimpse of his decision-making under pressure.

‘Very smart for a 15-year-old boy’

Asked about Sooryavanshi’s game sense and how the youngster might handle what could be his first five-day match after previously playing shorter first-class fixtures, Kishan said he had already seen enough to trust the teenager’s understanding of the game.

“To be honest, I feel Vaibhav is very smart for a 15-year-old boy. I think he knows what he's doing. He has been in this situation. I've heard him speaking to other players as well. I think he's very smart and he knows what he's doing,” Kishan said.

Kishan suggested that the transition from three or four-day cricket to a five-day final did not need to become an additional burden for Sooryavanshi. For the East Zone captain, the teenager’s primary responsibility remained straightforward — score runs and contribute to the side. “So, there's no doubt if he has played 4-day or 3-day cricket earlier, and this is a 5-day game, I think, end of the day, you just need to get runs out of him, and that is what he's willing to do. So, the most important thing is getting runs and just helping your teammates out. I think we have to keep it very simple when we are in these tournaments. So, I think he's doing a great job until now,” Kishan added.

The East Zone skipper also returned to Sooryavanshi’s contribution in the semi-final, particularly the manner in which his aggression gave the side momentum in a difficult chase. Although the teenager did not convert his start into a match-winning score, his 40 helped establish the platform before Kishan remained unbeaten on 39 to complete the victory. “Like, he played a very crucial role in the previous match where the wicket was not that good, but he played those extra shots which helped us, you know, getting that opening partnership which was very important while we were chasing,” Kishan said. “So, he's doing everything right for now, and if there's anything, I think we are there to always help him.”