The East Zone in the Duleep Trophy had a perfect mix of youth and experience in the squad, and that mix went a long way toward ensuring the side won the title. The Ishan Kishan-led side edged out South Zone on the basis of a first innings lead to win the red-ball competition for the first time in 13 years, and the third occasion overall. Throughout the entire campaign, there was amazing camaraderie on show, and the equation between Mohammed Shami and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was a sight to behold.
The final saw Shami showing his class on a dead as a dodo pitch, where he managed to get the better of Shaik Rasheed and Smaran Ravichandran. At one point in the summit clash, Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old, also chipped in as the captain when Kishan went off the park.
After the final, Shami said that he really enjoyed mentoring youngsters like Sooryavanshi throughout the competition. He added that the 15-year-old opener is fun to be around, as he likes to joke and picks things up really quickly.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it. The kid in our team (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) is literally as old as my career. He has that youthful innocence, loves to joke around, and absorbs things quickly,” Shami said after the Duleep Trophy final.
{{/usCountry}}“I thoroughly enjoyed it. The kid in our team (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) is literally as old as my career. He has that youthful innocence, loves to joke around, and absorbs things quickly,” Shami said after the Duleep Trophy final.
{{/usCountry}}"But most of these youngsters are already quite mature. With the level of cricket they play today, featuring in the IPL and other high-pressure tournaments, maturity comes early, so you don't need to over-coach them. But yes, when the game gets tight and challenging, that's when you step in with tactical inputs and remind them to keep fighting," he added.
Shami's 100th FC match
The Duleep Trophy final against the South Zone was Shami's 100th first-class match. He had made his debut in 2010 (November 17) against Assam, and Sooryavanshi was born four months later (March 27, 2011).
Sooryavanshi was the East Zone's vice-captain for the Duleep Trophy, and he served as Kishan's deputy. Speaking about the triumph, the seasoned Indian pacer said that it was a special achievement as every member of the squad gave it his all.
"As far as satisfaction goes, achieving this in my 100th match, and that too in a winning Duleep Trophy final, is special. East Zone has won this after a very long time. You’ve seen how we performed. Every single boy put his heart and soul into this campaign to get us here. To achieve this in these conditions, in this heat, is outstanding. As for me, whether it’s your first match or your 100th, it doesn’t matter—the effort and the approach remain exactly the same," said Shami.