Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s care-free, adolescent excellence graced big-ticket First Class cricket, as the 15-year-old made an entertaining 81-ball 92 on day two of East Zone’s Duleep Trophy semifinal versus Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday.

In an innings that lasted 118 minutes and was studded with seven sixes and as many fours, Sooryavanshi took on every bowler, and put on 161 glorious runs for the opening wicket with Abhimanyu Easwaran (69, 106b, 8×4).

He was dropped on 40 by Yash Rathod at backward point off Saransh Jain while trying a wild cross-batted heave. But what is boyhood if frightening frankness isn’t accompanied by tiny flaws?

Pacer Yash Thakur was the first to bear Sooryavanshi’s brunt, smashed as he was for a flurry of fours and two sixes, one down the ground and the other hooked.

East Zone’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the Duleep Trophy 2026 semifinal against Central Zone.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

Saransh, who had just returned from Sri Lanka following his debut Test, induced a false stroke in his very first over only for Yash Rathod to make a mess of it.

Sooryavanshi, however, was unaffected. Reputation has rarely bothered him, and in the IPL, he didn’t spare even the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood.

A falling reverse sweep off Saransh was his response, and though that did not fetch the desired result, he hoisted the offie over long-on to bring up his half-century from 42 balls.

Sooryavanshi then collected maximums off medium-pacer Aryan Panday and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, before launching another blitzkrieg against Saransh.

The seasoned Madhya Pradesh spinner was sent soaring above long-off, violently reverse-swept for four, and then muscled over cow-corner.

Another attempt at a hoick ended Sooryavanshi’s stay as he was caught at deep mid-wicket off Dubey.

But it was not before he became the youngest half-centurion in Duleep Trophy history, breaking Rajasthan batter Laxman Singh’s record for Central Zone from January 1969 when the latter was 16.

 South Zone weathered a blistering early morning bowling effort from India pacer Gurnoor Brar (four for 70) to finish day two of the Duleep Trophy semifinal 90 runs in the green at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday.

From an overnight 40 for two, South was reduced to 80 for five. But skipper Tilak Varma played all day (106 batting, 225b, 7×4), and combined with Shreyas Gopal (87, 169b, 11×4) for an excellent, match-turning 175-run partnership.

If not for a flurry of wickets towards close – from 255 for five to 270 for nine – South would have been in a healthier position. Nevertheless, with Tilak still around, South can hope to turn the screw further on day three, starting from 285 for nine.

It was an uncharacteristic innings from the usually dashing 23-year-old Hyderabad batter. His half-century took 149 balls and contained no boundaries, and the first hit past the ropes came on the 154th delivery, helping South secure the first-innings lead.

Gurnoor wreaked havoc early on Monday.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

Shreyas was a tad faster but eschewed none of his partner’s caution, safely cutting and steering his way to his fifty from 107 deliveries. But just when the 32-year-old seemed set for his seventh First Class ton, an attempted glide to third-man brought about his downfall.

A mini collapse ensued, and it was only then that Tilak shifted gears, and reached his eighth First Class hundred from 219 balls with back-to-back boundaries off Gurnoor.

But in the morning, Gurnoor would have had no inkling of the things to come. Off his fifth ball, he turned N. Jagadeesan inside-out and rearranged his stumps.

R. Smaran, the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy top-scorer, was consumed by another mesmerising delivery that hit the top of off-stump. K. Himateja was sent back next ball to push South to the brink only for Tilak and Shreyas to turn the tables.

On the adjacent ground where East Zone was playing Central, proceedings were in stark contrast. Where South scored 73 runs in the opening session, East, propelled by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s manic 92 (81b, 7×4, 7×6), scored as many as 183.

Sooryavanshi’s 81-ball 92 was studded with seven fours and as many sixes.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR

But from 200 for two, Ishan Kishan’s outfit was dismissed for 266, the same first-innings total as Central. In what is now a one-innings shoot out, Central was 45 for three at stumps, with captain Rajat Patidar too back in the hut.

The scores: North Zone 195 vs. South Zone 285/9 in 94 overs (Tilak Varma 106 batting, Shreyas Gopal 87, Gurnoor Brar 4/70).

Central Zone 266 & 45/3 in 20 overs vs. East Zone 266 in 57 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 69, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 92, Harsh Dubey 4/66).

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday (August 22, 2026) in Lucknow said the demands raised by students involved in the “reservation reform” movement would be taken up with the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a meeting with the concerned Union Minister would also be ensured.

Mr. Pathak was addressing a press conference with Harsh Dubey, who is claiming to be leading the reservation reform movement at Jantar Mantar.  

“In a press conference held in Lucknow today with Mr. Harsh Dubey, who is leading the reservation reform movement at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, in view of the seriousness of the demands and concerns of the student delegation, he was fully assured that their demands would be effectively placed before the central leadership in the next two days and their meeting with the concerned Union Minister would also be ensured. Our government is committed to a bright future for students. No injustice will be done to any student. Our government will take everyone along,” said Mr. Pathak, the Deputy CM. 

Mr. Dubey said that the students had held a peaceful protest and their main demand was that all young people should get equal opportunities. He thanked Mr. Pathak for assuring them of a meeting with the Union minister.

Other members of the reservation reform movement distanced themselves from the meeting, adding that the movement is very much on, and it will continue until the government speak to representatives directly. 

“I am speaking on behalf of Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA) and let me clarify: We neither endorse the meeting between Harsh Dubey and the government, nor the demands he is presenting. So, the government cannot claim that it is “talking to RHA” and declare that this movement is over. The movement is very much on, and it will continue until they speak to us directly instead of using their puppets,” wrote Anuradha Tiwari, associated with the movement and one of three people who controls the instagram page of the Reservation Hatao Andolan. 

Ajeet Bharti, another person who controls the Instagram page of the movement on X wrote, “The ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’ has no support for Harsh Dubey’s press conference. Because we are ideologically aligned with this movement, I was present there yesterday. We neither called for this movement nor the press conference. Those who came to Jantar Mantar at the call of Harsh or others are kindly requested to return home.

“There must be a reason why I discouraged gathering people so quickly for such a protest. No party should think this is the end of the movement. We will discuss it, inform the people, and we will be back soon, and in much larger numbers than we are now. Also, congratulations to Harsh Dubey’s father for his MLA ticket. Through you, an upper-caste person will reach the Assembly. I hope you will oppose the current reservation policies there,” wrote Mr. Bharti, on X. 

The Afghanistan ODI series may have been framed as another step in India’s march towards the 2027 World Cup, but beneath the victories lay a more specific objective: expanding the country’s all-rounder resources beyond the security blanket of Hardik Pandya.

India has spent much of the last decade orbiting around Hardik Pandya. He is not merely an all-rounder. He is a solution to several problems at once: a middle-order hitter, a finisher, a seam-bowling option, and a balance-restorer.

His absence due to a quadriceps strain handed the team management an opportunity to assess a range of candidates. Nitish Kumar, along with spin-bowling all-rounders Washington Sundar and Harsh Dubey, featured during the series, while Harshit Rana returned to the squad after a lengthy injury layoff.

India’s Washington Sundar in action during the second One-Day International cricket match against Afghanistan at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on June 17, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

Gurnoor Brar, meanwhile, showcased the pace, aggression and lower-order batting potential that have increasingly attracted the selectors’ attention.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate suggested that India’s planning extends well beyond identifying immediate replacements.

“It (the all-rounder pool) is really good. I would still say the majority of those guys are bowling all-rounders. And when Hardik’s fit, he obviously brings a different element because he’s such a strong batter and such a strong finisher. Sort of role scarcity… it is difficult to find a finisher who gives you overs as well.

India’s Gurnoor Brar in action during the second One-Day International (ODI) cricket match against at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on June 17, 2026. s
| Photo Credit:
SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

“Those guys are all tracking really nicely. With Nitish, for the last 18 months he’s shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team, particularly in this format. I feel his body’s getting stronger and stronger, and I sort of feel he is the natural successor or backup to Hardik,” he said.

Ten Doeschate’s comments revealed a broader emphasis on lower-order batting depth, particularly with South African conditions in mind.

Harsh Dubey during a practice session ahead of the 2nd ODI cricket match between India and Afghanistan on June 16, 2026 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
| Photo Credit:
SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP

“Certainly, (it’s good) to see these other guys chipping in and working on their games — even someone like Gurnoor and Harshit. They’re bowling all-rounders, but the fact that we feel we’ve got guys who can hold the bat at No. 9… Obviously, looking forward to the next 14-15 months, that is going to be very important, especially in South Africa when you want to play three seamers, three proper out-and-out seamers,” he said.

The series highlighted the variety within India’s all-rounder pool. Add Harshit’s return, and the options suddenly appear plentiful. As ten Doeschate put it: “All of a sudden the cupboard seems very full.”

With 2027 on the horizon, that depth may prove as valuable as any individual star. India is no longer searching for one all-rounder. It is building a pool.