The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents special permission to travel with the teenager for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. Earlier today, the BCCI had announced India’s T20I squad, and Sooryavanshi earned his maiden call-up.
However, one can’t forget that the rambunctious batter is just 15 years old. He won a car for his exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which he won’t be eligible to drive for the next 3 years. Sooryavanshi needs guidance, or the fame that comes with the game might consume him.
BCCI trying to protect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Prithvi Shaw‘s rise and fall is the perfect example. An opener like him, Shaw was touted as the next Sachin Tendulkar at 10 and made his India debut at 18. In fact, he remains the second youngest Indian to score a Test hundred after Tendulkar himself. But it’s all gone haywire. Shaw hasn’t played for India since 2021 or in the IPL since 2024.
BCCI doesn’t want that for him. 15-year-old players aren’t common in cricket, but in other sports like tennis, it’s frequent. Jennifer Capriati, who won 3 grand slams, was arrested at 18 for drug possession. It all happened after she became the youngest-ever player to reach the top 10, at age 14 years and 235 days.
Fame consumed her in the coming years, although she found success later on. Not all do. BCCI is worried something similar might happen to Sooryavanshi. So, his parents, Aarti and Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, will travel with him to Ireland and England. In fact, his father has already planned to be with him in Sri Lanka for the India A tri-series.
“As he is a child, we have decided to allow his parents to accompany him to Ireland and England, so that they can be with him and help him settle in the new environment. The Board will cover all their expenses,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Sportstar.
This isn’t the first time BCCI has created a special plan for a teenager. Back in 1989, Tendulkar’s elder brother Ajit accompanied him to Pakistan for his debut at 16. We all know that worked out well. So, BCCI is planning the same for Sooryavanshi.
