Watch: Brave DRS call by skipper Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets crucial wicket in East Zone

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Video grab) NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may only be 15, but the teenage sensation showed remarkable composure and instinct as he led East Zone during their Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone in Bengaluru on Sunday.With East Zone chasing control of the opening day’s proceedings, Sooryavanshi made a crucial management call in the 40th over that paid off immediately. The youngster opted for a decision review system (DRS) review after the on-field umpire dismissed an appeal for being caught behind – and the decision resulted in an Aryan Juyal goal.There was a moment when Juyal, batting on 46, pushed a delivery from Mukesh Kumar hard outside the off stump. The East Zone players immediately appealed and were convinced that the batsman had bowled the ball.However, the referee was not moved.With some of the East Zone players unsure whether to accept the review, Sooryavanshi trusted his instincts and made a last-minute DRS call. The review proved the youngster right as the UltraEdge detected a small spike as the ball passed the bat.Juyal was given away, giving the East Zone a major breakthrough and underlining Sooryavanshi’s growing maturity in his first stint as captain in first-class cricket.Watch:The captain’s opportunity came unexpectedly for the 15-year-old.Sooryavanshi is normally the vice-captain of the East Zone but regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced off the field after sustaining a thumb injury while keeping wickets. Kumar Kushagra took over the wicket duties while Sooryavanshi temporarily took over the management responsibility.The teenager’s ability to make important decisions under pressure has added another layer to what has already been an eventful Duleep Trophy campaign for him.Sooryavanshi had a modest outing with the bat in the East Zone quarter-final against North East Zone, scoring just eight runs. However, he hit the ball and scored two goals.Talking about his bowling experience and expanding role in the team, Sooryavanshi said he is relishing the opportunity to contribute in different ways.“If you ask any batsman, he always enjoys bowling. A batsman always enjoys bowling and a bowler always enjoys batting equally,” Sooryavanshi said in a video released by BCCI Domestic.The youngster also revealed that Kishan took a chance by handing him the ball and confidently referred to himself as the ‘keeper.“Opposition wickets were not falling so I was asked to bowl two or three overs. Ishan Bhaiya felt he was taking a risk but he didn’t know I was a keeper,” he added.

The East Zone dominates the opening session

East Zone won the toss and chose to bowl first against Rajat Patidar Central Zone.Their decision was rewarded almost immediately as their bowlers kept the Central Zone under pressure throughout the opening session. Central were reduced to 81/3 after 32 overs, with Abhijit K Sarkar doing most of the early damage.Sarkar dismissed Aman Mokhade and Kunal Chandela before Mukesh Kumar fell to Central skipper Patidar. Mohammed Shami also kept the Patidars under pressure during the intense battle.Saransh Jain has returned to the Central Zone XI after making his India debut in the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka recently.But the key moment of the afternoon belonged to Sooryavanshi.While the East Zone players debated whether to review the umpire’s decision against Juyal, the teenage stand-in captain acted decisively. His call came just in time—and the UltraEdge’s tiny tip confirmed his judgment.