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Indian cricket team young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was appointed East Zone vice-captain for Duleep Trophy 2026 with Ishan Kishan as the captain. The decision to make the 15-year-old sensation a vice-captain of the side caught a lot of people by surprise with some believing that it was not the right move to burden him with responsibility. However, former Ranji Trophy player Pravanjan Mullick, one of the East Zone selectors, revealed the reason behind the decision. He said that the selectors wanted to give the youngster more responsibility in order to help him develop as a leader.

“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," Pravanjan Mullick, a former Odisha Ranji player, told Cricbuzz.

Mullick also pointed out that Sooryavanshi was already the vice-captain of Bihar in first-class cricket and he even served as Ayush Mhatre's deputy during the U-19 World Cup. The selector also expressed his hope that Sooryanvanshi one day will captain the Indian cricket team.

“He has been doing very well for the country and also had an excellent IPL season with Rajasthan Royals. He is also the vice-captain of Bihar in first-class cricket," Mullick said.

“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," Mullick added.

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