Ishan Kishan Appointed Captain for Duleep Trophy 2026-27, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Named Vice-Captain
Leadership Roles Assigned for Duleep Trophy
The East Zone selectors have appointed Ishan Kishan as the captain for the upcoming Duleep Trophy in the 2026-27 domestic season. Alongside him, the talented teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been designated as the vice-captain.
This selection is a notable achievement for Sooryavanshi, who has gained recognition following impressive performances in both the IPL and international matches. He is anticipated to open the batting alongside the experienced Abhimanyu Easwaran from Bengal, according to reports.
Squad Overview and Key Players
Easwaran, boasting over 100 first-class matches, is the most seasoned player in the 15-member squad and is eager to regain his form after being sidelined from the Indian A team last year. Shikhar Mohan from Jharkhand, who scored 613 runs in his debut Ranji Trophy season, will serve as the reserve opener.
The bowling lineup is bolstered by experienced Indian pacers Mohammed Shami and Mukesh Kumar. Shami is returning after a stellar Ranji Trophy season in which he took 37 wickets across seven matches, and he is expected to lead the pace attack alongside Mukesh and Bengal's Suraj Jaiswal.
Injury Updates on Key Players
Unfortunately, all-rounder Riyan Parag and fast bowler Akash Deep were not selected due to ongoing rehabilitation from surgeries. Parag is recovering from a right shoulder operation following IPL 2026, while Akash Deep is healing from back surgery.
Kishan will take on the wicketkeeping duties, with Kumar Kushagra from Jharkhand named as the backup wicketkeeper. The squad also includes top-order batter Virat Singh and spin-bowling all-rounder Anukul Roy, who contributed to India A's successful tri-series in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Sooryavanshi's First-Class Experience
Despite his rising profile in white-ball formats, Sooryavanshi has limited experience in first-class cricket, having played eight matches and scored 207 runs, with a top score of 93. The Duleep Trophy presents a significant opportunity for him to solidify his standing in red-ball cricket.
Completing the squad are Bengal all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhijit Sarkar from Tripura, along with Odisha batter Subranshu Senapati and Bengal's Denish Das.
East Zone Squad Composition
The East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy includes the following players:
- Ishan Kishan (captain)
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain)
- Abhimanyu Easwaran
- Sudip Gharami
- Mohammed Shami
- Mukesh Kumar
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Suraj Jaiswal
- Virat Singh
- Kumar Kushagra
- Shikhar Mohan
- Subranshu Senapati
- Abhijit Sarkar
- Anukul Roy
- Denish Das