India allows 15-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents to travel with him after his first senior national call-up for overseas tours
INDIA: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can have his parents travel with him on India’s overseas tours, the cricket board told AFP on Sunday, a day after the 15-year-old batting sensation earned his first senior international call-up.
Sooryavanshi was named in India’s T20 squad for the tours to Ireland and England, and the Asian Games, after sweeping the batting honours in this year’s Indian Premier League.
The left-handed opener is currently in Sri Lanka with the India A squad for a tri-nation series.
“His father will be flying down to Sri Lanka today,” said Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“Also, if his parents want to go to England and Ireland with him, then we will make arrangements for their travel. They would be his best support system.”
India, the T20 world champions, are scheduled to play Ireland on June 26 and 28 in Belfast before a five-match England series beginning July 1.
The Asian Games will be held in Japan in September and October.
Sooryavanshi’s selection follows a stunning IPL campaign for Rajasthan Royals, where he amassed 776 runs to finish as the tournament’s leading run scorer.
He struck one century and five half-centuries during the season.
He picked the Orange Cap for the leading run-getter, the IPL most valuable player and emerging player prizes.
He is line to become India’s youngest player, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, the batting great who made his Test debut aged 16 years and 205 days in 1989.
“With his performances, he has almost forced us to pick him,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said.
“Like everyone else that has watched T20 cricket in India, we have got high hopes of him. I think he just has picked himself.”
