Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as an unlikely DRS specialist in the Duleep Trophy final. The 15-year-old made two reviews that have given East Zone a foothold against South Zone and his judgement and confidence have been on show during a tense contest.
East Zone had already put South Zone under pressure after posting a huge 708 in their first innings. As South Zone began its reply Sooryavanshi’s awareness was needed more than ever when decisions went against his team.
Brilliant Call Against Ricky Bhui
The first big moment came in the sixth over when Mukesh Kumar hit the edge of Ricky Bhui’s bat. The umpire didn’t give the batter out but wicketkeeper Kumar Kushagra and Sooryavanshi were convinced they had heard a nick.
Sooryavanshi strongly wanted captain Ishan Kishan to take the review. Stump microphone picked up the youngster repeatedly saying “Take it, take it”.
Kishan trusted his vice-captain and sent the decision up to UltraEdge. The ball was clearly spiking as it passed the bat (UltraEdge) and Bhui had hit it. The successful review got him out and gave East Zone another breakthrough.
Sooryavanshi showed that he was alert and trusted his instincts (even when the on-field umpire had given it to the batter first).
One Review Goes Wrong
Sooryavanshi’s second intervention didn’t work out the same way. When Devdutt Padikkal was struck on the pads by Md Kounain Quraishi, teenager Sooryavanshi again convinced Kishan to overturn umpire’s decision.
This time ball-tracking showed that the delivery was missing the stumps. The review was unsuccessful and reminded us that even confident DRS calls can go wrong.
It was the only unsuccessful review of Sooryavanshi in the final.
🗣️ Take it...take it
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 8, 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 🤝 Review
The vice-captain urges the captain to take the review, and it turns out to be successful 🙌
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BhTkGWeeoD#DuleepTrophy | #EZvSZ pic.twitter.com/MmtESDSnMy
Leads East Zone and Gets Another Right
Later in the innings Ishan Kishan came out of the field leaving Sooryavanshi to captain East Zone. When Mohammed Shami came back into the attack youngster again showed his decision making skills.
Shami had already beaten Smaran Ravichandran’s outside edge twice before another delivery was pushed at away from the body. Kushagra appealed strongly, saying there had been contact with the bat. Sooryavanshi agreed and opted for a review.
Again technology was on his side. UltraEdge showed a clear spike and that edge went and Ravichandran back for 23.
Sooryavanshi celebrated with Shami straight away after the review was successful and it was the wicket which mattered.
At 15 Sooryavanshi’s confidence, awareness and leadership have become hallmarks of his game. DRS interventions have already given East Zone some breakthroughs and added another dimension to his growing cricket profile.
