At just 15, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already achieved milestones that remain a distant dream for many cricketers throughout their careers. From finishing as the leading run-scorer in an Indian Premier League (IPL) season to smashing a match-winning century in the U-19 World Cup final to clinch the title, the teenager has made remarkable strides in a short span of time.However, his elevation to the role of East Zone vice-captain for the Duleep Trophy did not go down well with everyone. Among those who believe the youngster was handed a leadership responsibility too early is batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.Although Tendulkar had not publicly questioned the selectors’ decision at the time of the announcement, he shared his reservations during a Reddit Q&A session, suggesting that Sooryavanshi should focus on gaining more experience in red-ball cricket before taking on such responsibilities.Responding to a fan who asked for his views on the 15-year-old being entrusted with a leadership role, Tendulkar said: “I feel it’s too early for him to become a vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. We have to let him play more matches with the red ball and take one step at a time!”Sooryavanshi had featured in just eight red-ball matches for Bihar before being named East Zone skipper Ishan Kishan‘s deputy. The decision meant he was preferred over Abhimanyu Easwaran, an experienced campaigner with more than 100 First-Class appearances.The East Zone selection committee subsequently clarified that the appointment was made with the youngster’s development in mind and should not be interpreted as an indication of the pecking order within the squad.Sooryavanshi also got a taste of captaincy during the tournament when Kishan was forced to leave the field due to an injury. The teenager stepped in to lead the side and was involved in several important on-field decisions, including DRS calls. Videos of his involvement in those reviews also gained traction on social media.Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi has continued to strengthen his position in India’s T20I setup, although he is yet to establish himself as a regular opener. The youngster faces competition for a place in the top three from established names such as Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
Tendulkar names favourite captains
During the same interaction, Tendulkar also reflected on his own stint as India’s captain, describing the opportunity to lead the national side as a tremendous honour. However, he admitted that the position did not always give him complete control over team selection.Tendulkar, who made his international debut on November 15, 1989, before bringing the curtain down on his career on November 16, 2013, also spoke about the changes in the functioning of Indian cricket over the years.“It was a great honour to lead the team as captain. However, I didn’t always have the freedom to pick my team entirely on my own. The BCCI today is a far more professional organisation than it was in the 1990s. Indian cricket also went through a particularly dark phase during that period,” Tendulkar said.Asked to name his favourite captains, the former India skipper singled out Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni, acknowledging the impact both had on Indian cricket.“As far as my favourite captains go, Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni would definitely be at the top of my list!!,” Tendulkar said.
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