Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Pic credit: BCCI)

BENGALURU: In 118 minutes and 81 balls, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi offered a glimpse of the raw talent that has made him one of Indian cricket’s most sought-after prospects. The southpaw backs his big-hitting ability irrespective of the format and his fearless approach was on full display as the East Zone opener smashed 92 (7×4, 7×6) against Central Zone on Day 2 of their Duleep Trophy semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here on Monday.At 15 years and 157 days, Sooryavanshi became the youngest player to score a 50 in the tournament, breaking Central Zone’s Laxman Singh’s record of 16 years and 23 days, set in January 1969.The innings was more than just a record. Since his Ranji Trophy debut in 2024, the teenager had managed 215 runs from nine first-class matches. While he has built strong credentials in white-ball cricket, the longer format remains a stern test. Sooryavanshi was in no mood to let a red-ball challenge pass without making a statement.The first session was all about his attacking display. After getting off the mark with a risky single, the left-hander struck his first boundary with a stylish square drive. That was merely an appetiser, as he repeatedly looked to score in the V against the pacers, including Yash Thakur, whom he deposited over the bowler’s head for his first six. His 18 singles were as much a sign of maturity as his seven sixes were of his power.His domination helped East Zone race to 64 in the first 10 overs. On 40, Sooryavanshi was handed a reprieve when Yash Rathod dropped a straightforward catch off Saransh Jain. The batter made the most of it, bringing up his half-century off 42 balls with a six over long-on.What stood out was not just the power, but the range. One particular assault on pacer Aryan Pandey was striking. Charging down the track, Sooryavanshi smashed the ball straight back over the bowler’s head for his fourth six.Such was his command that it seemed to matter little who was bowling. Off-spinner Saransh Jain, who recently made his India Test debut, was dealt with equal confidence, conceding a four and a six as Sooryavanshi raced towards the nervous nineties in the 25th over.However, he was left distraught when another attempt at a maximum landed in Arshad Khan’s hands at deep mid-wicket off Harsh Dubey, leaving him eight runs short of his maiden first-class hundred.Along with Abhimanyu Easwaran’s 69, Sooryavanshi’s 92 formed the backbone of a 161-run opening stand that helped East Zone reach 266, exactly matching Central Zone’s first-innings total. Central were 45/3 at stumps.