Much has already been said about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's elevation to vice-captaincy in domestic cricket. Earlier this week, the East Zone selectors named him Ishan Kishan's deputy for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The confirmation of the call led to polarised opinions on social media, and several fans and experts came out publicly, saying that giving the youngster responsibility at such a young age would not reflect well on him.
Sooryavanshi was named the vice-captain just days after his Player of the Series win in Zimbabwe, where he returned with 151 runs in three matches, with his highest score being 81 in the third and final T20I.
However, East Zone selector Pravanjan Mullick has now defended the move to appoint him as Kishan's deputy, saying the experience will give him greater exposure.
“He has not been made the captain. He has only been made the vice-captain. The captain is Ishan Kishan. Besides, Ishan is a wicketkeeper, so he will be actively involved throughout the day. It is not as though Vaibhav will be captaining the team all day. As he grows, he is maturing day by day. Giving him more responsibility will help him mature even further,” Mullick, a former Odisha Ranji player, told Cricbuzz.
“This is a great opportunity for him to take on the responsibility of being vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. He wants to do well for the country, and we believe giving young players responsibility is important. Who knows? We are keeping our fingers crossed that one day he could even become India's captain. That is the thought behind giving him the vice-captaincy," he added.
'Due respect'
The East Zone selector added that he understands everyone's opinion, but defended the decision to appoint Sooryavanshi as vice-captain, saying it was in the best interests of the team. He also pointed out that the 15-year-old had previously been named vice-captain of Bihar.
"He has been doing very well for the country and also had an excellent IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals. He is also the vice-captain of Bihar in first-class cricket," said Mullick.
“With due respect to everyone expressing their views, they are entitled to their opinions. Everyone has a right to think differently, and we cannot change that. But we did what we believed was best for the team. It was a collective decision," he concluded.
The East Zone selection meeting happened on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens and was attended by selectors Dibyendu Chakraborty (CAB), Manish Wardhan (JSCA), Alok Saha (TCA) and Anant Prakash (BCA), along with Mullick (OCA). The East Zone will begin their campaign against the North Zone.
Speaking of Sooryavanshi, he made his India debut in England earlier this year. After a disappointing three matches against the Three Lions, the youngster came into his own in Harare against Zimbabwe, smashing two fifties.