Berlin Wall, Soviet Union on 4k cameras, AI: The world that changed between Sachin Tendulkar and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s debuts

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sachin Tendulkar After much anticipation and a delay that seemed longer than it was, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finally made his India debut on Saturday, becoming the youngest player to represent the country in international cricket when he took the field in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford in Manchester.The 15-year-old from Bihar’s Samastipur district broke the record held by Sachin Tendulkar for almost 37 years. Tendulkar made his debut for India at the age of 16 years and 205 days. Sooryavanshi did it after 15 years and 99 days.The similarities start and end with their ages.Between Tendulkar’s debut in Karachi and Sooryavanshi’s first appearance for India in Manchester lies the story of how Indian cricket – and the world around it – has changed.READ ALSO: Bethell breaks Indian hearts on Sooryavanshi’s historic debut; England lead 1-0 Tendulkar arrived with a game built on defense and timing, shaped by Mumbai’s batting tradition. Sooryavanshi grew up in the T20 era where attacking from the first ball is the norm and the expectation. Even the scene around them couldn’t be more different.When Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989, television viewers in India were treated to grainy images on television. Sooryavanshi’s every move was monitored by high-definition cameras from the moment he landed in England.Tendulkar made his debut against an attack with Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir.The world outside of cricket was also different.The Berlin Wall still stood. The Soviet Union still existed. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India and would not step down until after the Lok Sabha elections a few weeks later. Economic liberalization under Manmohan Singh was still more than a year away.Tendulkar belonged to the era of floppy disks. Sooryavanshi belongs to the generation growing up alongside artificial intelligence.Likewise, Indian cricket has changed.When Tendulkar made his debut, India was still establishing its place in world cricket. Over the next three decades, the game became one of the biggest sports in the country, with Tendulkar at the center of much of that rise. Sooryavanshi joins the Indian team built in subsequent years.Not since Tendulkar has come such a level of attention from a teenage cricketer. Since landing in England, Sooryavanshi has been surrounded by selfie-seeking fans.However, the biggest difference is how fame works now.During Tendulkar’s debut, the Internet was not a part of everyday life in India. Almost everyone carries a smartphone today. Every moment is instantly photographed, recorded and shared. The line between public person and public property has become thinner.Sooryavanshi’s journey to India has only just begun, but the path he is treading is very different from the one Tendulkar first stepped on in 1989.