Duleep Trophy 2024: Sooryavanshi's 92 off 81 balls breaks 57-year record as East Zone restrict Central to 45/3
Synopsis
A 15-year-old from Bihar just rewrote Duleep Trophy history. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 92 off 81 balls — seven sixes, seven fours — broke a record that had stood since 1969, making him the youngest-ever half-centurion in the tournament. Then Mukesh Kumar dismantled Central Zone's top order to leave the match perfectly poised at 45/3.
Key Takeaways
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , aged 15 years and 157 days , scored 92 off 81 balls with 7 sixes and 7 fours for East Zone.
He became the youngest-ever half-centurion in Duleep Trophy history , breaking Laxman Singh's 57-year-old record set in 1969 .
Abhimanyu Easwaran scored 69 off 106 balls ; the opening pair added 161 runs together.
East Zone were bowled out for 266 , matching Central Zone's Day 1 first-innings total exactly.
Mukesh Kumar dismissed Kunal Chandela and captain Rajat Patidar ; Mohammed Shami removed Aryan Juyal .
Central Zone closed Day 2 at 45 for 3 , leading by 45 runs in the second innings.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, at just 15 years and 157 days, lit up the Duleep Trophy on Day 2 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru, smashing a record-breaking 92 off 81 balls to help East Zone match defending champions Central Zone's first-innings total of 266. Mukesh Kumar then struck twice in the evening session to leave Central Zone reeling at 45 for 3, handing East a commanding position heading into Day 3.
Sooryavanshi Shatters a 57-Year Record
The Bihar teenager, playing in his red-ball debut for East Zone, announced himself to the cricketing world with an innings studded with seven sixes and seven fours. His 92 made him the youngest-ever player to score a half-century in the Duleep Trophy, breaking a record that had stood for 57 years.
The previous record belonged to Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored a fifty in the tournament back in 1969. Sooryavanshi, at 15 years and 157 days, eclipsed that mark comfortably. He came agonisingly close to becoming the youngest centurion in the competition's history before holing out to deep midwicket off Harsh Dubey.
Easwaran Provides the Anchor as Opening Stand Yields 161
While Sooryavanshi played the aggressor, East Zone's senior opening partner Abhimanyu Easwaran played a measured role, contributing 69 off 106 balls. The two put on a 161-run opening partnership, laying a solid foundation before the middle order was exposed.
Sooryavanshi's dismissal proved the turning point. The Ishan Kishan-led East Zone side crumbled in the aftermath, with Harsh Dubey, Aryan Pandey, and Yash Thakur dismantling the lower order. Dubey removed two wickets in two balls, including Kumar Kushagra, before Aryan took over with three wickets in just 15 minutes after lunch — accounting for Easwaran, Virat Singh, and Sudip Gharami. Thakur chipped in with three wickets of his own as East were bowled out for 266, level with Central's Day 1 total.
Mukesh Kumar Puts East in the Ascendancy
With the scores level, India internationals Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami gave East Zone a crucial edge in the second innings. Mukesh drew first blood in the fifth over, dismissing Kunal Chandela. Shami then removed Aryan Juyal, caught in the slips, before Mukesh delivered the evening's most significant blow — the wicket of Central Zone captain Rajat Patidar.
Notably, Patidar fell to a short ball from Mukesh for the second time in the match, having been dismissed in a similar fashion in the first innings. Central Zone closed Day 2 at 45 for 3, leading by 45 runs in the second innings, but with their top order gone, East hold the psychological edge.
What to Watch on Day 3
Central Zone's middle order will need to rebuild significantly to set East a challenging target. For East, Mukesh and Shami will look to make further inroads early on Day 3. Sooryavanshi's record-breaking knock has already made this Duleep Trophy edition one to remember — and the contest is far from over.
Point of View
Suggesting the side remains heavily dependent on individual brilliance rather than batting depth. Central Zone, meanwhile, face a second-innings crisis not of their own making — Patidar falling to the same short-ball trap twice in one match is a technical concern that opposing teams will catalogue. With Mukesh and Shami still fresh, the match may well be decided before lunch on Day 3.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi break in the Duleep Trophy?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest-ever player to score a half-century in the Duleep Trophy, achieving the feat at 15 years and 157 days. He broke the 57-year-old record of Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored a fifty in the tournament in 1969.
How did Sooryavanshi perform in his Duleep Trophy innings?
Sooryavanshi scored 92 off 81 balls, hitting seven sixes and seven fours in a stroke-filled knock for East Zone. He was dismissed holing out to deep midwicket off Harsh Dubey, narrowly missing what would have been the youngest century in Duleep Trophy history.
What is the current match situation after Day 2?
Central Zone closed Day 2 at 45 for 3 in their second innings, leading by 45 runs. East Zone had matched Central's first-innings total of 266, and Mukesh Kumar's two wickets — including captain Rajat Patidar — put East in a strong position.
Who were the key wicket-takers for Central Zone in East Zone's innings?
Harsh Dubey, Aryan Pandey, and Yash Thakur shared the wickets as East Zone collapsed after Sooryavanshi's dismissal. Dubey took two in two balls and Aryan claimed three wickets in 15 minutes after lunch, while Thakur also picked up three wickets.
Who is leading the East Zone side in the Duleep Trophy?
East Zone are led by India international Ishan Kishan, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi serving as vice-captain. Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami are the senior pace options in the side.
