Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was the star attraction at the Duleep Trophy final between East Zone and South Zone at the Chepauk Stadium on Sunday and he gave the fans what they came to see, if only for a brief period. Sooryavanshi got East Zone off to a quick start before falling to Chama Milind in the 15th over and was later spotted coming out to sign autographs for fans.

Fans could be seen giving him cricket balls and shirts to sign. It is the first time that those in Chennai were getting a glimpse of him in action at the iconic ground, with his IPL team Rajasthan Royals having not played at the Chepauk for the last two seasons.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi signs autographs for fans at the end of Day 1 of the Duleep Trophy final between East Zone and South Zone at the Chepauk Stadium.

The 15-year-old smashed 44 runs in 37 balls in a 100-run opening stand with Abhimanyu Easwaran for East Zone

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Although it was East Zone captain Ishan Kishan who finished in the spotlight on Day 1 with an unbeaten 111 off 135 balls, Sooryavanshi started what turned out to be a run feast of an opening day in the title clash. He hit five fours and a six in his knock of 44 in 37 balls. The highlight of the innings was the seventh over, when he flayed India Test regular Mohammed Siraj for two fours and a six. Siraj, as did the rest of the South Zone bowlers, had a rather forgettable day at the office, finishing with figures of 14-1-96-0.

Sooryavanshi put up an opening stand of 100 runs with senior Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran in just 14.4 overs. Easwaran (72) and Shikhar Mohan (85), who carved out contrasting knocks, couldn’t convert them into centuries.

But unbeaten innings from skipper Ishan Kishan (111) and Kumar Kushagra (63) meant East ended Day 1 at 385/4. After the top-order laid the perfect platform, Ishan made merry. The fifty came off 61 deliveries and the hundred off the 122nd delivery, as he calmly went about giving his team a glorious opportunity to win their first Duleep Trophy since the 2012-13 season.