Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play in Duleep Trophy 2026 final?
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20Is against Afghanistan
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been one of the brightest stars of the Duleep Trophy 2026 season. The 15-year-old East Zone batter produced a sensational knock in the semi-final clash against Central Zone, becoming the youngest half-centurion in Duleep Trophy history.
However, he missed out on a maiden Duleep Trophy hundred by just 8 runs. He played another handy knock of 40 runs in the second innings as the East Zone secured a four-wicket victory and booked their place in the final.
What remained the highlight of the semi-final was Vaibhav’s captaincy. After Ishan Kishan was forced to leave the field with an injury on Day 1, young Sooryavanshi served as the stand-in skipper. He made some animated calls, including the late DRS that ultimately dismissed the Central Zone batter, Aryan Juyal.
Fresh revelations clear out the mist over Sooryavanshi’s participation
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the chance to become one of the youngest players to play in the Duleep Trophy final. Despite his extraordinary contributions to East Zone’s success and his presence in the squad for the final, there is massive uncertainty over his participation in the summit clash.
East Zone will face South Zone at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the summit clash beginning on September 6.
The uncertainty over the participation of players like Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was raised after they were picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.
Players of the Indian T20I team have been instructed to report to the national capital by September 9 to start preparations for the series.
The Duleep Trophy clash ends on 10th September; hence, for any player featuring in that match, reporting on the 9th is impossible. As per earlier reports, the decision was in the hands of the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Recent reports from India Today have indicated that Ishan Kishan has confirmed the availability of a full-strength squad for the final. This suggests that players like Kishan and Vaibhav are likely to feature in the Duleep Trophy final despite their upcoming India commitments.
It seems the decision has gone in the youngsters’ favour, though nothing has been confirmed officially by the BCCI. Vaibhav is likely to get an opportunity to complete his impressive Duleep Trophy campaign by playing in the final.
Despite his young age, Vaibhav has shown great character as a Test batter. He played a flamboyant innings in the first innings but adopted a much more measured approach in the second when the East Zone were chasing a score in the fourth innings. This ability to adjust strengthens his case as a batter in the longest format of the game.
How many runs has Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored in Duleep Trophy 2026?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has scored 140 runs in the 2026–27 Duleep Trophy for East Zone.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi play in the Duleep Trophy 2026 final?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s participation in the Duleep Trophy 2026 final is doubtful and depends entirely on final clearance from India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir.
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