Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Eyes Red-Ball Challenge Before Duleep Trophy
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15, has shifted his focus to red-ball cricket since returning from India’s tour of Zimbabwe last month. The teenager is presently training at the Rajasthan Royals Academy in Talegaon, near Nagpur, under RR associate coach Vikram Rathour, who previously served as India’s batting coach.
Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Series during the Zimbabwe tour and made his international debut against England in August 2026, becoming the youngest Indian to represent the country in international cricket.
He also led the IPL 2026 batting rankings. Despite being commonly regarded as a white-ball specialist, Sooryavanshi has publicly contested that description, and his current training block reflects that intention.
The Rajasthan Royals are holding a 10-day training at the Talegaon center. The facility includes soil-specific practice wickets designed to replicate home conditions, as well as dedicated infrastructure for red-ball preparation.
Sooryavanshi is joined at the camp by Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Shubham Dubey, Ravi Singh, and Sushant Mishra.
What is the purpose of the Rajasthan Royals’ preseason camp?
The 10-day camp is designed to prepare players in a variety of areas before the domestic season begins. Each participant follows an individually planned program that includes technical work, physical fitness, and rehabilitation. The center also stated its overall goals for the facility.
The facility, designed to support cricketers year-round, has numerous soil-specific practice wickets that imitate a variety of local playing conditions, as well as dedicated red-ball training facilities to help with long-format preparation.
What is Sooryavanshi’s role in the Duleep Trophy 2026?
Sooryavanshi has been picked vice-captain of the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2026, with Ishan Kishan taking the captaincy. The roster was unveiled on July 29, 2026.
Deshpande, his Talegaon campmate, will represent the West Zone in the same tournament. The Duleep Trophy 2026 will be off on August 23, 2026, in Bengaluru.
