Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another record to his growing collection on Monday by becoming the youngest player to score a half-century in Duleep Trophy history, making 92 off 81 balls for East Zone against Central Zone in the semi-final.
Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru, Sooryavanshi reached the landmark at just 15 years and 157 days.
The teenager broke a record that had stood for 57 years. Laxman Singh was the previous youngest Duleep Trophy half-centurion, having achieved the feat at 16 years and 23 days in 1969.
Sooryavanshi brought up the record-breaking fifty in just 42 deliveries, launching off-spinner Saransh Jain for a six. He had struck five fours and three sixes by the time he reached the milestone.
The left-handed opener continued to attack after his fifty and looked on course for his maiden first-class century before eventually falling for 92 off 81 balls, an innings studded with seven fours and seven sixes.
Sooryavanshi attempted to take on Harsh Dubey but was caught by Arshad Khan, ending a commanding 161-run opening partnership with Abhimanyu Easwaran.
The 15-year-old fell just eight runs short of another historic landmark. A century would have seen him surpass Sachin Tendulkar as the youngest centurion in Duleep Trophy history. Tendulkar was 17 years and 262 days old when he achieved the feat during the 1990-91 season.
The 92 was also Sooryavanshi's second half-century in first-class cricket. His best of 93 came for Bihar against Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 Plate Group.
Sooryavanshi had managed only eight with the bat on his Duleep Trophy debut against North East Zone in the quarter-finals but made an impact with his left-arm spin, returning career-best figures of 2/11 as East Zone won by an innings and 210 runs.
In the semi-final, Central Zone were bowled out for 266 in their first innings before Sooryavanshi's record-breaking knock put East Zone firmly in contention on Day 2.
Sooryavanshi had also briefly captained East Zone on the opening day after skipper Ishan Kishan left the field with a finger injury.
The 15-year-old, who was named East Zone's vice-captain for the tournament, led the side for close to 20 overs and also made his mark with a successful DRS call.
With Aryan Juyal batting on 46, an appeal for caught behind off Mukesh Kumar was turned down. Sooryavanshi opted for the review and the replay confirmed an edge, overturning the on-field decision and reducing Central Zone to 99/4.
