Vaibhav Suryavanshi Named East Zone Vice Captain for Duleep Trophy 2026

East Zone has unveiled its 15 member squad for the 2026 Duleep Trophy, with wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan appointed as captain and rising star Vaibhav Suryavanshi named vice captain. The prestigious domestic tournament is scheduled to begin on August 23 in Bengaluru.

The biggest talking point from the squad announcement is the elevation of 15 year old Vaibhav Suryavanshi to the vice captaincy role. The young batter from Bihar has impressed with his performances at the national level and continues to earn recognition for his maturity and consistency at a very young age.

Selectors placed their faith in Ishan Kishan after his impressive form during the recent series against Zimbabwe. His aggressive batting style along with his leadership experience made him the preferred choice to lead the East Zone side in one of India’s most important domestic competitions.

The squad also features a healthy blend of experienced campaigners and promising youngsters. Senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami returns to domestic cricket and is expected to add strength to the pace attack alongside Mukesh Kumar. Experienced players such as Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Ahmed and Anukul Roy provide additional balance to the team.

East Zone will be aiming for a strong campaign with a squad that combines youth, experience and depth across all departments. Cricket fans will also closely watch Vaibhav Suryavanshi as he takes on his first major leadership responsibility in domestic cricket.

East Zone Squad

Ishan Kishan captain, Vaibhav Suryavanshi vice captain, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Kumar Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Anukul Roy, Virat Singh, Subhanshu Senapati, Danish Das and Abhijit Sarkar.

Standby Players

Ayush Loharuka, Shridam Pal, Sambit S Baral, Sharandeep Singh and Swastik Samal.