Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to play Duleep Trophy 2026 final only if Gautam Gambhir allows; Know why
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has retained his spot in the Indian T20I side for the Afghanistan series.
Domestic cricket has recently provided Indian selectors with a massive platform to assess players before bringing them into the national circuit. Players like Devdutt Padikkal and Manav Suthar, who proved to be instrumental for India in recent times, were all picked on the basis of a strong domestic run.
The Duleep Trophy 2026 has been particularly significant from the Indian selectors’ point of view, as many established international stars as well as promising youngsters have been part of the tournament this time around. Particularly, players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi attracted considerable attention after making an impact against Central Zone during the Duleep Trophy semi-final.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s Duleep Trophy participation under massive dilemma
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For young Vaibhav, the Duleep Trophy final is not just any mere domestic game. The 15-year-old who has been named the vice-captain of the East Zone side could make use of this opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials in front of the selectors.
Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar is most likely to attend the Duleep Trophy final, starting from the 6th of September at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. It was earlier reported that Agarkar missed the BCCI meeting due to family commitments but will travel to Chennai for the Duleep Trophy final.
According to another report by the PTI, Sooryavanshi could miss the Duleep Trophy final despite being part of the East Zone squad. The youngster is also completely fit ahead of the game. The report, however, states his availability, along with that of South Zone skipper Tilak Varma and East Zone captain Ishan Kishan, could depend on the calls made by Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir.
The trio have been picked for the upcoming India vs Afghanistan three-match T20I series beginning from the 13th of September in New Delhi. According to the report, members of the national squad will have to report to the capital city by September 9th. The Duleep Trophy final ends on the 9th of September, and players featuring in that game cannot report before the 10th.
“The Indian team will assemble in Delhi on either September 9 or 10. If the head coach wants all three to report as per the T20I team’s itinerary, then the trio can’t play. But if the head coach wants them to play the final and report to Delhi on September 10 late evening, they can also do that.” BCCI source told PTI
Hence, if Gambhir doesn’t decide in Sooryavanshi’s favour, then the talented cricketer will miss a major opportunity to shine this early in his career.
Meanwhile, as per the reports from PTI, selectors have asked KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal to represent South Zone in the final. These players are not part of India’s T20I squads and will next play in the ODIs against the West Indies, which starts from the 27th of September, while Padikkal might play the India A games, as he is not part of India’s ODI squad.
“Now Padikkal is not a part of ODIs so he might play the India A series. But the Duleep final… if there is a chance, they should play.” the source stated.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi miss his first ever Duleep Trophy final?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi might miss the Duleep Trophy final depending on the final decision of India head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi be the youngest Duleep Trophy winner if East Zone wins in 2026?
Yes, Vaibhav is most likely to be the youngest player to win the Duleep Trophy.
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