Sooryavanshi’s Review Instinct Helps East Zone Strike First

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his mark with more than just his bat during the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai, showing sharp game awareness in the field as South Zone began their reply to East Zone’s massive first-innings total. The 15-year-old, serving as East Zone’s vice-captain, played a decisive role in persuading skipper Ishan Kishan to challenge an on-field call, a decision that paid off with the team’s opening wicket of the South Zone innings.

A Timely Word Behind the Stumps

The moment unfolded on the third day of the summit clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where South Zone were made to follow on their reply after East Zone piled up a mammoth total. Sooryavanshi’s quiet nudge to Kishan proved crucial, with the subsequent review confirmed by UltraEdge and resulting in the dismissal of opener Ricky Bhui. Not every appeal went East Zone’s way, though — a separate review sought for Devdutt Padikkal did not overturn the on-field call, underlining that Sooryavanshi’s read of the situation, while sharp, was not infallible.

Kishan’s Record Knock Sets Up the Contest

East Zone’s dominant position was built on the back of Kishan’s career-best innings, a knock of 270 that anchored the side’s first-innings total of 708. Sooryavanshi himself contributed with a brisk 44 off just 37 balls lower down the order, adding to the momentum before the bowlers took over. With such a commanding total on the board, East Zone will be eyeing a strong position heading into the remainder of the final, and Sooryavanshi’s alertness on the field has already added another dimension to his growing reputation in the tournament.