Age no longer defines Sooryavanshi, his bat does

Whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is 15, 17 or 20 years old is no longer a matter of debate in this country. With his relentless hitting in the recently concluded IPL, Sooryavanshi has become the toast of the nation and moved beyond discussions about his actual age. For most people, it simply doesn’t matter anymore.

The fact that the ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, made him sit next to him during the IPL final in Ahmedabad is proof of the impact Sooryavanshi has made in this format of the game. While the whole of India is celebrating the phenomenon called Sooryavanshi, there are still a few who remain fixated on his bone test and allegations of age fraud.

There is documentation suggesting that Sooryavanshi was eight-and-a-half years old at a certain point, while the board declared him to be over 10 — a difference of almost two years, which would make him over 17 today. But does it really matter now?

The BCCI has cleared him, yet there are still a few sceptics questioning why Sooryavanshi never played Under-16 domestic cricket. But did Sachin Tendulkar go back and play Under-19 domestic cricket after making his international debut at the age of 16? The reality is that exceptional talent often fast-tracks its way through the system, making conventional age-group progression irrelevant.

Officially, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was born on March 27, 2011, and the BCCI’s records reflect the same. As per the BCCI rulebook, no cricketer below the age of 14 or above 16 is allowed to participate in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. However, that does not mean a player cannot progress directly to Under-19 cricket, which is exactly what Sooryavanshi did — much like the brightest student in a class receiving a double promotion because of exceptional talent.

Moreover, bone scans conducted under the Tanner-Whitehouse (TW3) method by the BCCI found that any variation in his biological age was well within the permissible limits. Consequently, Sooryavanshi remained eligible to represent India at the Under-19 level and subsequently earned the opportunity to play in the IPL.

Now, as selectors prepare to watch him in the India A squad during the tri-series in Sri Lanka alongside several other future prospects, Sooryavanshi cannot be kept away from the spotlight, even at the highest level. The fearlessness and adrenaline-filled brand of cricket he displayed on the 22-yard strip have convinced many that he belongs on bigger stages.

For perhaps the first time in Indian cricket history, a young talent is being spoken about so widely that the conversation is no longer centred on age-group cricket. Instead, there is a growing belief that Sooryavanshi is already ready for top-level T20 cricket, with even ODI cricket appearing to be on the horizon. The discussion is no longer about whether he should dominate junior cricket, but about how quickly he can make the transition to the senior game.