Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer has suggested that Abhimanyu Easwaran would have been a fair choice for the vice-captaincy position of East Zone for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The selectors have appointed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as Ishan Kishan’s deputy, which Jaffer reckons are encouraging signs for the youngster.
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi has so far featured in only eight first-class matches, but he hasn’t yet ignited a fire in the red-ball format, scoring 207 runs in 12 innings at an average of 17.25, with a best of 93. Ergo, Jaffer pointed out that Sooryavanshi’s first-class numbers are not impressive yet.
Sooryavanshi is expected to open the innings with Abhimanyu Easwaran, who is the most experienced member and the highest run-scorer in the squad. Easwaran, the Bengal veteran, has the experience of 113 first-class matches under his belt and Jaffer feels he would have been the perfect choice.
Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube Channel, “I think maybe the selectors wanted to reward Vaibhav. If you look at his first-class cricket record and his Ranji Trophy performances, the numbers aren’t particularly impressive yet. So, from that point of view, the decision is certainly debatable.
“From Vaibhav’s perspective, it’s an encouraging sign. For him, it’s definitely rewarding. But again, Abhimanyu Easwaran is also part of that team. So, in my opinion, making Abhimanyu Easwaran the vice-captain would have been the fair decision,” he added.
Jaffer added that it is not such a big controversy after Sooryavanshi was appointed as East Zone’s vice-captain.
“Having said that, I wouldn’t say it’s such a huge controversy that we need to make a big issue out of it because, ultimately, Ishan Kishan will be the captain and he’ll be leading the team. But yes, when someone like Abhimanyu Easwaran is in the squad, has played so much cricket, and has already captained Bengal, I think it would have been fair to make him the vice-captain.”
East Zone squad
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Suraj Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan (capt), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (vice-captain), Virat Singh, Kumar Kushagra, Shikhar Mohan, Subranshu Senapati, Abhijit Sarkar, Anukul Roy, Denish Das
