New Delhi: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s meteoric rise in cricket continues to attract attention. The 15-year-old batting star from Bihar recently received his first call-up to the Indian team and will be part of the team for the upcoming white-ball tour of England. If he is selected for Friday’s first T20I against Ireland in Belfast, he could become India’s youngest-ever international cricketer, breaking the record currently held by the legend Sachin Tendulkar.India will play two T20Is against Ireland before taking on England in a five-match T20I series in Durham next week.According to The Guardian , Sooryavanshi had to use a separate dressing room throughout the tour due to safety regulations. ICC rules as well as ECB policy do not allow players under the age of 16 to share dressing room facilities with adult players.The ECB will therefore make special arrangements in each location together with the ECB. BCCI to ensure all protocols are followed. Soriyavanshi’s parents are also expected to accompany him during the tour and stay in the same hotel as the team, with the exception reportedly being granted due to his age.“This is an ICC event and their safeguarding procedures are active as they have jurisdiction. In some cases, safeguarding issues that arise during the event may be managed by the ICC. Otherwise, the ECB’s security policy always applies. Cricket’s governing body is in contact with Team India’s team liaison officer to discuss the requirements and expectations of the players while they are in the UK,” the ECB told the Guardian.“Each county security officer at the relevant cricket ground is also working closely with the team liaison officer to ensure that ground protocols and arrangements, particularly the dressing room environment, are understood and adhered to. This is undertaken through a security risk assessment. We understand that the player’s parents will be traveling with him at all times. They are staying in the same hotel, which is not in line with the usual protocol, but due to his age it was agreed to on this occasion. This additional measure strengthens our confidence that his family can provide additional support and care,” the ECB added.Providing separate changing rooms for under-16 players is standard practice in British sport. However, no such rule seems to exist in India and Sooryavanshi shared the facilities with his team-mates during his time with the Rajasthan Royals. intense pulsed light season.
