Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has questioned East Zone’s decision to appoint teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as vice-captain for the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy. While he praised the youngster’s remarkable talent and maturity, Dasgupta believes the leadership responsibility has come far too early in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi‘s red-ball career. East Zone, captained by Ishan Kishan, will begin its campaign on August 23 with an experienced squad that also features Abhimanyu Easwaran, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Anukul Roy.
Deep Dasgupta unhappy with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s appointment
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Deep Dasgupta admitted that he was ”very, very surprised” after seeing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi named as East Zone’s vice-captain. He clearly stated that he does not agree with the decision, even though he has immense respect for the youngster’s talent.
Dasgupta said Vaibhav is exceptionally mature for someone who is only 15 or 16 years old, but maturity alone should not be enough to hand over such an important leadership role. According to him, East Zone already has experienced domestic cricketers who have spent years performing consistently and deserve to be considered first.
The former India wicketkeeper specifically mentioned Anukul Roy, saying the all-rounder has been playing domestic cricket for a long time and would have been a more suitable choice for the vice-captaincy. Dasgupta added that leadership in red-ball cricket should generally go to someone who has already established himself at the domestic level.
Let Him Establish Himself First-Â Deep Dasgupta
Explaining his views further, Dasgupta said he simply could not understand why such a young player was being given leadership responsibilities before proving himself in first-class cricket.
He pointed out that Vaibhav has only recently started his red-ball journey and has not yet played enough first-class cricket to build a strong record. Dasgupta repeatedly said,” Let him play first. Let him establish himself.” He believes the teenager should focus on scoring runs, learning the demands of long-format cricket and gaining experience before taking on additional pressure as vice-captain.
Dasgupta also said there was no hurry to make Vaibhav a leader because he has a very long career ahead of him. According to him, leadership opportunities will naturally come once the youngster establishes himself through consistent performances.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Continues His Rapid Rise
Even at just 15 years of age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already become one of India’s most exciting young cricketers. In first-class cricket, he has featured in eight matches, scoring 207 runs at an average of 17.25, including one half-century. His impressive performances also earned him an India T20I debut, where he has already played six matches, scoring 193 runs, with two half-centuries to his name.
Those performances explain why selectors have shown immense faith in the teenager, although the decision to hand him a leadership role has divided opinion among former cricketers.
Deep Dasgupta’s remarks have sparked an interesting debate over whether extraordinary talent should automatically lead to leadership responsibilities at such a young age.Deep Dasgupta praised Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s maturity, ability and commitment to red-ball cricket, he firmly believes the youngster should first establish himself in first-class cricket before taking on leadership duties. With the Duleep Trophy beginning on August 23, Vaibhav will now have the opportunity to answer those questions through his performances on the field.
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