Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: Making History as India’s Youngest International Cricketer
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, just 15 years old, is set to make a splash in the cricket world as he prepares for his first international tour in England. This Friday, he will likely become the youngest cricketer to represent India in a Twenty20 match against Ireland in Belfast. Following this, he will play in a five-match T20 series against England, starting next Wednesday in Durham.
Sooryavanshi will be stepping into the record books, surpassing the previous youngest player for a full member nation when Pakistan picked Hasan Raza at the age of 14 in 1996. The legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who is often regarded as one of the greatest cricketers, made his Test debut at 16 years and 205 days in 1989.
Due to safeguarding policies, Sooryavanshi will have a private changing room during the tour, as per guidelines set by both the ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). These rules prevent players under 16 from using adult changing rooms, so he will have his own facilities at all venues. His parents will accompany him, which is a bit unusual but was permitted given his age.
While he can participate in team talks and be in the dressing room during matches, the separate changing room rule applies only when he is changing clothes before and after games. This practice is standard in English sports; for example, Arsenal’s Max Dowman had a similar arrangement until he turned 16 last December. However, this is a new experience for Sooryavanshi, as such rules are not common in India.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Sooryavanshi has already made a significant impact. Last year, he debuted at just 14, scoring 252 runs with a striking rate of 206.5. He became the youngest player to score a hundred in men’s T20 cricket, achieving this feat with a blistering 38-ball century. This year, he topped the IPL charts with 776 runs and set a new record for the most sixes in a season, hitting 65.
To prepare for the upcoming matches, he played five games for India A, recently showcasing his talent by scoring 94 runs off just 29 balls against Sri Lanka A, featuring the fastest List A fifty in just 11 balls.
India is scheduled to play two T20 matches against Ireland on Friday and Sunday, before heading to England. Notably, the safeguarding rules will not apply in Belfast, as those matches fall under Cricket Ireland’s jurisdiction.
