In a standout performance during the opening match of the Duleep Trophy 2026, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took on a bowling role for East Zone, successfully claiming two wickets in just three overs against North East Zone. This shift from his usual batting position showcased his versatility and skill on the field, contributing significantly to his team’s efforts in the tournament.
The teenage sensation discussed his switch of hats during the match and shared how he felt when bowling and taking two wickets in the second innings of the game, which his team won by an innings and 210 runs on Tuesday.
A batter always enjoys bowling and a bowler always enjoys batting equally,” Sooryavanshi said in a video posted by BCCI Domestic. Sooryavanshi, who was appointed vice-captain of the zonal side and deputy to Ishan Kishan, opened up about the skipper’s decision to bowl him and described himself as a “wicket-taker”. “If you ask any batter, they always enjoy bowling.
Sooryavanshi’s side has reached the semifinals of the red-ball tournament and will face South Zone in the second semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru. The match will begin at 9:30 AM on Sunday. The final will begin on September 6.
Because batting didn’t go so well in the match, “It was a lot of fun. The Rajasthan Royals batter, who now has four First Class wickets, did not set the stage alight with the bat in his usual style, as he was dismissed for just eight in the only innings his team batted. However, he enjoyed making an impact with the ball. So, contributing with the ball was great. And of course, when a batter takes a wicket, there’s no greater enjoyment than that, so it was a lot of fun!” he concluded.
“Opponent team’s wickets weren’t falling, so I was asked to bowl two or three overs. Ishan Bhaiya felt like he was taking a risk, but he didn’t knew that I am a wicket-taker,” he added.
