Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have separate dressing rooms during India’s T20I series in Ireland and England due to UK child protection regulations.The 15-year-old is in line to make his India debut during the two-match T20I series against Ireland, starting on Friday at Stormont in Belfast. If he plays, he will become India’s youngest international cricketer, breaking Sachin Tendulkara long-standing record. Cricket Ireland has confirmed that India have been given three separate rooms in the pavilion to ensure that all safety rules are followed.“The Indian team has been given three separate rooms in the pavilion and safety laws have been advised. We will check that all obligations are met, but BCCI will govern matters in accordance with UK law. Our procedures and policies are in line with UK best practice,” a Cricket Ireland spokesperson told IANS.As per the arrangement, Sooryavanshi can attend team meetings, tactical discussions and spend time with his teammates in the main dressing room. However, he must change in a separate room due to legal requirements for minors.The same arrangement will continue during India’s five-match T20I series in England, starting in Durham on July 1.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the ICC’s safeguarding rules would apply during the series, along with the ECB’s own safe-hands policy.“The Cricket Regulator is in contact with the Team Liaison Team (TLO) for the Indian team to discuss the requirements and expectations for the player while in the UK,” the ECB told the Guardian.The ECB also said that security officers at each venue are working with the Indian team management to ensure all dressing room protocols are followed.To provide additional support, the BCCI arranged for Sooryavanshi’s parents to travel with him throughout the UK tour. He will stay in the team hotel, except for his age.“It is our understanding that the player’s parents will travel with him at all times. They are staying in the same hotel, which is outside the usual protocol, but on this occasion it was agreed because of his age. This additional measure gives us further confidence that he has family members who can provide an extra level of support and care,” the ECB added.Separate changing rooms for athletes under the age of 16 are common in European sports. Young footballers such as Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri have also followed similar procedures before turning 16.Despite these arrangements, Sooryavanshi is no stranger to dressing rooms for senior players. He was previously part of the Bihar domestic team, Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and the India A team.
