The BCCI has made a thoughtful decision to let 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents join him on India’s upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland and England, marking his first experience with the senior national team. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia explained that this move is designed to help the young player acclimate to the adult atmosphere of the dressing room and the pressures of international cricket. With Sooryavanshi slated to participate in seven T20 matches during the tour, the board believes that having his parents nearby will ease his transition and keep him comfortable at such a pivotal point in his career.
Saikia pointed out that “You see, not all national teams at the senior level have a 14 or 15-year-old in their squad. After many decades, we have someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.”
The BCCI sees Sooryavanshi as a promising long-term talent and believes that parental support will help him navigate the challenges of international cricket without added stress.
VIDEO | BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia says the board allowed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's parents to travel with him on the Ireland and England tour to ensure the 15-year-old feels comfortable in the senior-team setup and adjusts smoothly to the environment. "You see, not all… pic.twitter.com/sj01nZV2Ik
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 18, 2026
He also addressed rumors about potential disciplinary action following Sooryavanshi’s recent incident with Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage, clarifying that "Whatever had happened, it was a part of the game, and the BCCI have no role to play. The role is of the match referee. If anything is going wrong, he will take a call, the umpires will take a call, and there is a system in place.”
BCCI Aiming to Hold IPL From March 10 to May 15 From 2027
In the meantime, Saikia shared that the BCCI is looking into the possibility of moving up the schedule for IPL 2027. They're considering kicking off the tournament around March 10 and wrapping it up by May 15, rather than letting it stretch to the end of May. For context, IPL 2026 started on March 28 and concluded on May 31, featuring 74 matches. Saikia mentioned that "This year, the IPL started around March 29th (28th) and was over by May 31st. The only thing that we are discussing is that during the fag end of the tournament, after May 15. There is apprehension of having rainfall or the pre-monsoon season starting. "I'm hearing a lot of complaints from the fans as well as from the players, because not all players are very well equipped or well acclimatized to play in such hot conditions.”
VIDEO | BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia says IPL could start as early as March 10 and finish by May 15 from next season to avoid adverse weather during the business end of the tournament. No plans, however, to expand the IPL beyond its current 74 matches due to international… pic.twitter.com/zxjHJoGWE4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 18, 2026
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Because of this, officials are exploring scheduling alternatives that would enable the tournament to finish before the weather turns problematic. However, Saikia made it clear that there are no current plans to increase the IPL's format beyond the existing 74 matches, pointing to international commitments and the importance of maintaining the bilateral cricket calendars of major cricketing nations.
