The BCCI has reportedly decided that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents may travel with him on India’s tours of Ireland and England, in a move intended to help the teenager settle into senior international cricket. His father, Sanjeev, and mother, Aarti, are expected to be with him in his early days in the set-up.
A family effort
His mother has been central to his progress, handling his daily routine, training schedule and nutrition, starting as early as 3:00 AM each day. During the IPL, Sooryavanshi was often seen marking milestones with an “A” gesture, a tribute to her sacrifices.
His father has also been instrumental. He reportedly sold farmland and travelled long distances several times a week so that his son could train and develop.
A bigger step up
Sooryavanshi is used to international exposure and is currently playing for India A in a tri-series in Sri Lanka, also involving Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A. Senior international cricket, though, is a far greater challenge, and having his parents nearby is expected to give him emotional stability.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar praised the youngster’s rapid rise at the squad announcement press conference, saying Sooryavanshi almost forced the selectors’ hand. Agarkar pointed to two IPL seasons in a row and his Under-19 record as evidence of his talent, and said the selectors hope he shows the same ability at the highest level.
