Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's appointment as East Zone vice-captain has divided opinion, but one of the selectors behind the decision believes it could speed up his journey towards the Indian Test team. The teenager has been handed greater responsibility ahead of the Duleep Trophy, with East Zone convinced the role will help his growth both as a batter and a leader.

Selector Explains Vice-Captaincy Decision

East Zone selector Pravanjan Mullick defended the decision to name Sooryavanshi as vice-captain despite his age.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Mullick stressed that Ishan Kishan remains the team's captain and will continue to lead from behind the stumps throughout the tournament.

"He has not been made the captain. He has only been made the vice-captain. The captain is Ishan Kishan. Besides, Ishan is a wicketkeeper, so he will be actively involved throughout the day. It is not as though Vaibhav will be captaining the team all day.

"As he grows, he is maturing day by day. Giving him more responsibility will help him mature even further," Mullick said.

Long-Term Vision Already In Place

The selector revealed that East Zone sees the role as part of Sooryavanshi's long-term development.

"This is a great opportunity for him to take on the responsibility of being vice-captain in the Duleep Trophy. He wants to do well for the country, and we believe giving young players responsibility is important.

"Who knows? We are keeping our fingers crossed that one day he could even become India's captain. That is the thought behind giving him the vice-captaincy," Mullick added.

Test Team Could Be Next

Mullick believes Sooryavanshi's biggest opportunity lies with the bat rather than the leadership role.

"More importantly, this is a great opportunity for him to score runs. If he performs well in the Duleep Trophy, the national selectors will certainly be watching him. You never know, he could be in contention for the Indian Test team sooner rather than later," he said.

The teenager has already served as Bihar's vice-captain in first-class cricket and has also held the same role for India's Under-19 side.

Criticism Doesn't Change East Zone's View

Questions have been raised over whether Sooryavanshi is ready for such responsibility after playing only a handful of first-class matches.

Mullick accepted that different opinions would exist but insisted the selectors were united.

"With due respect to everyone expressing their views, they are entitled to their opinions. Everyone has a right to think differently, and we cannot change that. But we did what we believed was best for the team. It was a collective decision," he said.

East Zone will begin their Duleep Trophy campaign against North Zone in Bengaluru on August 23. A strong tournament could strengthen Sooryavanshi's case for higher honours, particularly in red-ball cricket, where he remains at the start of his journey.