Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 7: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a special provision for teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi by requesting his parents to accompany him on India's upcoming tours of Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom following his selection to the senior T20I squad.
The 15-year-old prodigy, who recently earned a call-up to the national team, is set to travel with an adult squad for the first time in his career. If he makes his international debut, Vaibhav could become India's youngest-ever debutant, surpassing the record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who debuted at the age of 16 years and 207 days.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board had decided to make an exception considering Vaibhav's age and the challenges of adapting to a senior international environment.
Saikia said that while the BCCI does not normally permit parents to travel with players on official tours, special permission would be extended in Vaibhav's case because he is still a minor.
According to Saikia, the board plans to request Vaibhav's parents to accompany him to Sri Lanka, with his father expected to travel shortly. The BCCI is also willing to support the family's travel to England if they choose to accompany him there as well.
The BCCI believes the arrangement will help the youngster settle comfortably into the senior setup and adjust to life among experienced international cricketers.
Vaibhav's rapid rise has been driven by a series of impressive performances in domestic and age-group cricket. The young batter has emerged as one of the most exciting talents in Indian cricket and has attracted widespread attention for his aggressive stroke play and ability to handle pressure situations.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said Vaibhav had effectively selected himself through his performances.
Agarkar praised the youngster's consistency and maturity, noting that he had impressed not only during Under-19 assignments but also in high-pressure competitions. He described Vaibhav as an explosive batter capable of changing the course of a match and said Indian cricket had high expectations from him.
India's T20I squad for the upcoming series includes Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.