Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Set to Make History in England Tour

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rapid rise in cricket continues to grab attention. The 15-year-old batting sensation from Bihar, who recently received his first call-up to the Indian team, is set to travel with the squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of England. If he is picked for the first T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Friday, he could become India’s youngest-ever international cricketer, breaking a record currently held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. India will play two T20Is against Ireland before taking on England in a five-match T20I series starting next week in Durham.

According to a report by The Guardian, Sooryavanshi will have to use a separate changing room throughout the tour because of safeguarding regulations. ICC rules, along with ECB policies, do not allow players under the age of 16 to share changing-room facilities with adult players. As a result, special arrangements will be made at every venue, with the ECB working alongside the BCCI to ensure all protocols are followed. Sooryavanshi’s parents are also expected to accompany him during the tour and stay at the same hotel as the team, an exception that has reportedly been approved because of his age.

“This is an ICC event, with their safeguarding procedures active as they have jurisdiction. A safeguarding concern occurring during the event may, in some circumstances, be managed by the ICC. In addition to this, the ECB Safe Hands policy applies at all times. The Cricket Regulator is in contact with the Team Liaison Officer for the Indian team to discuss requirements and expectations for the player while he is in the UK,” the ECB told The Guardian.

“Each County Safeguarding Officer for the relevant cricket venue is also working closely with the Team Liaison Officer to ensure venue protocols and arrangements, specifically changing room environments, are understood and adhered to. This is conducted via safeguarding risk assessments. It is our understanding that the player’s parents will be travelling with him at all times. They are staying in the same hotel, which is outside of usual protocol, but agreed on this occasion due to his age. This additional measure provides us with further confidence that he has family members that can provide the additional level of support and care,” the ECB added.

Separate changing rooms for under-16 athletes are a standard practice in English sport. However, no such rule appears to exist in India, where Sooryavanshi shared facilities with his Rajasthan Royals teammates during his IPL seasons.