India's 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be required to use his own changing room for safeguarding reasons during his first international tour in England. The measure, standard in English sport for under-16s, will be implemented across all venues for the five-match T20 series starting next Wednesday in Durham.
Record-Breaking Debut
Sooryavanshi is expected to become India's youngest international cricketer on Friday in a Twenty20 against Ireland in Belfast. He will surpass Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut aged 16 years and 205 days in 1989. Sooryavanshi will be the youngest international cricketer for a full member nation since Pakistan's Hasan Raza, who played at 14 in 1996.
Safeguarding Procedures
The England series is an International Cricket Council event, and both ICC and England and Wales Cricket Board safeguarding procedures will be in force. Both bodies prohibit under-16s from using adult changing rooms, so Sooryavanshi will have his own facilities. His parents are understood to be accompanying him on the tour. He will be permitted in the India dressing room during the game and can attend team talks, with the restriction applying only when getting changed before and after matches.
Standard Practice in England
Such measures are standard in English sport. Arsenal's Max Dowman used a separate changing room until he turned 16 in December. However, they are new to Sooryavanshi, as they do not apply in India. During his two IPL seasons with Rajasthan Royals, he used the same facilities as teammates.
The ECB is working with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and all five T20 venues to ensure appropriate measures. An ECB spokesperson stated: "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."
Additional Support
The ECB added: "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. 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."
The spokesperson confirmed: "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."
Extraordinary IPL Impact
Sooryavanshi has made an extraordinary impact since his IPL debut as a 14-year-old last year. In his debut season, he scored 252 runs at a strike rate of 206.5 for Rajasthan, becoming the youngest centurion in men's T20 cricket with a hundred off 38 balls. This year, he was the highest scorer in the IPL with 776 runs and broke Chris Gayle's 14-year-old record for hitting the most sixes in a season, finishing with 65.
He prepared for the tour by making five appearances for India A this month and on Sunday scored 94 off 29 balls against Sri Lanka A, an innings that featured the fastest List A 50, which came off 11 balls.
Ireland Matches
India play two T20s against Ireland on Friday and Sunday before travelling to England, but the safeguarding regulations are not expected to be applied in Belfast as those matches are under the jurisdiction of Cricket Ireland.
