India’s first teenage cricket sensation since Sachin Tendulkar, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s maiden tour with the senior national team will come with a unique condition off the field. The 15-year-old prodigy will be required to use separate changing facilities from his teammates during India’s white-ball tour of England this summer as part of safeguarding regulations.
The measure, reported by The Guardian, stems from child protection policies enforced during ICC-sanctioned events involving players under the age of 16.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the arrangements are being put in place in accordance with safeguarding guidelines applicable during the series.
“This is an ICC event, with their safeguarding procedures active as they have jurisdiction,” the ECB said in a statement to The Guardian. “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 ECB also confirmed that additional support mechanisms have been agreed upon due to Sooryavanshi’s age. “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 safeguards do not affect Sooryavanshi’s participation in team activities. He will continue to have full access to the India dressing room during matches, attend team meetings and take part in all cricket-related preparations. The restrictions apply only when players are changing before and after games.
WHY SOORYAVANSHI HAS TO USE SEPARATE CHANGING ROOMS?
The England series falls under the jurisdiction of the International Cricket Council, meaning ICC safeguarding protocols will be enforced alongside the ECB’s own child welfare policies. Both governing bodies prohibit players under the age of 16 from using adult changing rooms, necessitating separate facilities for Sooryavanshi at all venues during the tour.
While such arrangements are standard practice across English sport, they will represent a new experience for the youngster. Last season, Arsenal academy prospect Max Dowman was also required to use separate changing facilities until he turned 16. Similar rules, however, do not apply in Indian domestic cricket or the Indian Premier League.
During his two seasons with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, Sooryavanshi shared dressing-room facilities with senior teammates without any such restrictions.
The ECB is working closely with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the host venues to ensure all safeguarding requirements are met throughout the tour.
SET TO BREAK TENDULKAR RECORD
Sooryavanshi’s rapid ascent has made him one of the most talked-about young cricketers in the world.
After bursting onto the scene as a 14-year-old in the IPL, he scored 252 runs at a strike rate of 206.5 for Rajasthan Royals in his debut campaign, including the fastest century by a teenager in men’s T20 cricket — a remarkable hundred off just 38 deliveries. He elevated those numbers further this season, finishing as the leading run-scorer in the IPL with 776 runs. The youngster also surpassed the long-standing record of the legendary Chris Gayle for most sixes in a single IPL season, smashing 65 maximums.
His preparation for international cricket has been equally impressive. Representing India A earlier this month, Sooryavanshi struck 94 off just 29 balls against Sri Lanka A in the final of the tri-nation series, an innings that included the fastest List A half-century on record, reached in only 11 deliveries.
Now, Sooryavanshi is expected to become India’s youngest-ever international cricketer when he takes the field in the opening T20I against Ireland in Belfast on Friday. The teenager would also become the youngest batter to debut for India at international level.
The current record is held by Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1989 at the age of 16 years and 205 days.
India will play two T20Is against Ireland before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series beginning in Durham next week. The safeguarding regulations are not expected to apply in Belfast as the Ireland matches fall under the jurisdiction of Cricket Ireland rather than the ICC event framework governing the England series.
For a player already drawing comparisons with Tendulkar, the England tour will provide another landmark moment in a career that appears to be accelerating at unprecedented speed.
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