When explaining the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s decision to permit Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents to travel with him on the white-ball tour of Ireland and England, which begins later this month, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that a 15-year-old schoolboy needs to be gradually integrated into a senior team setup.
On the tour, which starts on June 26 in Belfast, the powerful Sooryavanshi, who has earned his first call-up to the Indian T20 squad, has been picked for seven games (two against Ireland and five against England).
“You see, not all national teams at the senior level have a 14 or 15-year-old in their squad. After many decades, we have someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Saikia told PTI.
“At one point in time, it was Sachin Tendulkar (16 and half at time of Test debut) who made it to the national team at such a young age. When such a young kid is part of the senior team, there are obviously a lot of issues that can crop up,” he added without elaborating.
“Therefore, to make him comfortable and help him get used to an adult environment, where all the other players are above 18 years of age, and the team management members are also adults, we felt it would be helpful,” Saikia, a former Ranji Trophy player for Assam, stated further.
“We are doing this because we believe it will ease a lot of issues as far as Vaibhav is concerned.”
Saikia gave the example of senior teachers going on field trips with their students.
“Even when a school student goes on an excursion, there is usually a senior person accompanying them. Vaibhav is still a kid. He has only just come out of school, or is perhaps in his final year of school.
“So, we thought it proper to allow his parents to travel with him. I am very happy that his parents are also taking good care of their kid, who is an asset for Indian cricket not only now but for the next two or three decades,” he added.
Saikia was also taken aback by social media speculation that Sooryavanshi will face consequences from the BCCI for his furious on-field altercation with Vishen Halambage of the Sri Lanka A squad during a recent A match.
Following an argument sparked by the Sri Lankan’s offensive remark, Sooryavanshi shoved Halambage as he approached the Indian.
“A lot of things are going on in the social media that BCCI is contemplating action, etc. Do you want BCCI to step into the domain of match referee?,” Saikia counter-questioned.
“The BCCI is not an authority, we should not intrude into the area where the match referee and the umpires are the main persons who can take any decision regarding any incident that had happened in the playground.
“Whatever had happened, it was a part of the game, and the BCCI have no role to play. The role is of the match referee. If anything is going wrong, he will take a call, the umpires will take a call, and there is a system in place,” the eminent lawyer said.
