The Duleep Trophy final could give chief selector Ajit Agarkar an important look at several players ahead of India’s upcoming assignments, but one of the tournament’s biggest talking points may be missing from Chennai. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s participation in the final will depend on India head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Sooryavanshi is part of East Zone and has been named vice-captain for the tournament. However, the 15-year-old, along with South Zone captain Tilak Varma and East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan, has also been picked for India’s three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, beginning in New Delhi on September 13.
According to a PTI report, the India squad is expected to assemble in Delhi on September 9 or 10. If Gambhir wants the three players to join the national camp according to the original itinerary, they will miss the Duleep Trophy final, which starts in Chennai on September 6. If they are allowed to play, they could report to Delhi late on September 10.
For Sooryavanshi, the decision could carry particular significance. The teenager was given an opportunity in the Duleep Trophy to demonstrate that his game extends beyond the T20 format, and he has already made a strong impression. He scored 92 in the first innings and 40 in the second during East Zone’s semifinal victory over Central Zone, while becoming the youngest batter to score a fifty in Duleep Trophy history.
Agarkar is scheduled to be in Chennai from September 6 to 10 and will watch the final, making it an important opportunity for players looking to strengthen their cases with the national selectors. Missing the match would mean Sooryavanshi loses the chance to showcase his red-ball credentials directly in front of the chief selector.
Agarkar, who was absent from Thursday’s BCCI review meeting in Mumbai due to family commitments, is expected to travel to Chennai for the final.
While Sooryavanshi, Varma and Kishan await clarity, the selectors have also asked KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj to play for South Zone. The trio have no competitive cricket scheduled before India’s ODI series against the West Indies begins on September 27.
The Duleep final, therefore, could serve two purposes: a chance for emerging players such as Sooryavanshi to strengthen their red-ball credentials, and valuable match practice for established India players. Whether Sooryavanshi gets that opportunity, however, will ultimately be Gambhir’s call.
