23 August,2026 09:38 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, has already showcased his class in white-ball cricket, scoring 193 runs in six T20Is at a strike rate of 189.21. The Rajasthan Royals opener also won the Orange Cap after amassing 776 runs in IPL 2026. Now, he faces his first major red-ball challenge when East Zone take on North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy last eight in Bengaluru today.
Sooryavanshi, who has played only eight first-class matches, recently underwent specialised red-ball training with his coach, Manish Ojha, at the Rajasthan Royals Academy in Talegaon, near Nagpur. "I was with Vaibhav for five days and we practised in a proper multi-day match red-ball field. He faced bowlers with specific targets. He has done his preparation; now let's see," Ojha told mid-day.
Manish Ojha
Asked about the challenge of adapting to the Duleep Trophy, Ojha drew comparisons with former India opener Virender Sehwag. "Sehwag was an attacking player, but he adapted quickly and played all formats very well. Vaibhav has a lot of inspiration in front of him, like Brian Lara and Sehwag, who used to dominate in both red and white-ball cricket.
"Vaibhav's intent should be that if he gets a loose ball, he should hit it. But if there is no loose ball, he has to respect the merit of the delivery. If he follows this approach, I have full faith that he will perform well and become a more mature player," said Ojha. Sooryavanshi is also the deputy to East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan, and Ojha believes the youngster can learn from the experienced players around him.
"Being vice-captain will be a new learning experience for him. He is playing alongside players like Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Shami and Abhimanyu Easwaran, so he will have plenty of support and guidance. He will learn a lot from them. The way Vaibhav has approached white-ball cricket and emerged as a successful player, I expect him to become a high-performance player in red-ball cricket too and eventually become a member of the Indian Test team," Ojha signed off.
