Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Will Use Separate Dressing Room During Ireland T20I – EXPLAINED

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (BCCI Photo) Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will have a separate dressing room 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 Tendulkar’s long-standing record. Cricket Ireland has confirmed that India have been allocated three separate rooms in the pavilion to ensure all safety rules are followed.“The Indian team has been allocated three separate rooms in the pavilion and has been advised of the protection laws. We will check that all obligations have been met, but the BCCI will manage things 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 deal, Sooryavanshi can attend team meetings, tactical discussions and spend time with his teammates in the main dressing room. However, due to legal requirements for minors, they must change in a separate room.The same arrangement will continue during India’s five-match T20I series in England, which begins in Durham on July 1.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the ICC safeguarding rules will apply during the series, along with the ECB’s own Safe Hands policy.“The Cricket Regulator is in contact with the Team Liaison Officer (TLO) for the Indian team to discuss the requirements and expectations for the players while in the UK,” the ECB told The Guardian.The ECB also said 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 during the UK tour. They will stay in the team hotel, an exception due to his age.“We understand that the player’s parents will be traveling with him at all times. They are staying in the same hotel, which is outside of normal protocol, but given his age they have agreed on this occasion. This additional measure gives us further reassurance that he has family members who can provide him with another level of support and care,” the ECB added.Separate changing rooms for under-16 athletes are common in European sport. Young footballers such as Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri also followed suit before turning 16.Despite these measures, Sooryavanshi is no stranger to senior dressing rooms. Earlier, he was part of home team Bihar, Rajasthan Royals in IPL and India A squads.