Top 3 youngest players to hit half-century in Duleep Trophy ft. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

The Duleep Trophy has long served as a stage where young Indian cricketers announce themselves at the senior level. In the 2026-27 edition of the elite red-ball tournament, a 15-year-old from East Zone added his name to the record books in a manner that will be remembered for years.

Playing in the Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in Bengaluru, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rewrote the tournament’s age records. Three players now stand out as the youngest to have scored a half-century in Duleep Trophy history, with the oldest of the trio having achieved the feat back in 2005.

Here are three youngest players to score a half-century in Duleep Trophy:

3. Piyush Chawla

Piyush Chawla, the former India leg-spinner, scored a Duleep Trophy half-century at the age of 16 years and 307 days in 2005. Chawla went on to make his Test debut for India against England in March 2006, having made his domestic debut for Uttar Pradesh on October 11, 2005. His fifty in the Duleep Trophy remains one of the earliest indicators of his talent at the senior domestic level, and he sits third on this list of the youngest half-century scorers in the tournament’s history.

2. Laxman Singh

Laxman Singh held the record for the youngest player to score a Duleep Trophy half-century for 57 years before it was broken in 2026. He achieved the feat at the age of 16 years and 23 days during the 1969 edition of the tournament. His record stood the test of time across more than five decades, surviving the careers of countless talented young Indian cricketers who came through the Duleep Trophy.

1. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became the youngest batter in Duleep Trophy history to score a half-century, reaching the milestone at the age of 15 years and 157 days on August 31, 2026. He brought up his fifty off just 42 balls, hitting off-spinner Saransh Jain for a six to reach the landmark. Sooryavanshi, who was named East Zone’s vice-captain for the tournament, also took over the captaincy during the match after regular skipper Ishan Kishan was forced off the field following a blow to his right wrist while keeping. Sooryavanshi was eventually dismissed for 92 off 81 balls, including 7 fours and 7 sixes, falling just 8 runs short of a centur