Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15 year old cricket star, is now in the IPL, which has caused more debate. Social worker CM Shivakumar Nayak has said that he will file an FIR against the Rajasthan Royals club, as the teenagers’ work in the league is child labour.
Sooryavanshi has been in the news lately for a number of reasons, from being called unprofessional to strange claims that his equipment has an AI chip. This new court threat is about his age and rights.
Charges of exploitation
During a discussion on a Kannada news channel, Nayak said that the professional sports system is exploiting young cricket players. This 15 year old boy from the Rajasthan Royals, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, is being used. He is only 15 years old, but they put him in the IPL to play competitive cricket. This is just kid work. How is it possible for a little boy to play in such a big league? Instead of playing cricket at such a young age, he should be studying, going to school, and finishing his schooling.
Furthermore, Nayak said that allowing Sooryavanshi to fight at this level sets a very bad precedent for young people across the country. I condemn this very much, and I will either file a police report or a lawsuit against the Rajasthan Royals management for breaking laws about child labor and child rights. Don’t let this kid play IPL cricket; it’s work for kids. He should go to school.
Read also: 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blazes record 15-ball half-century in IPL
The public’s response and backlash
Many people on social media disagreed with the activist’s position. Critics were quick to point out examples from the past, such as how famous cricket player Sachin Tendulkar played his first international game at 16.
People in the online community responded with a mix of anger and humour:
One user made fun of Nayak, saying he was acting like the Rajasthan Royals had opened a factory instead of a cricket academy. They also said that the IPL is like a place where teens go to learn to bowl instead of doing their homework.
Others pointed out what they saw as a perceived unfairness, asking why complaints about ‘child labour’ don’t also apply to kids who work as players in films or on reality singing and dancing contests.
Many people said that Nayak’s claims were false, as there is a framework for the Under-19 national team.
Read also: Bihar Chief Minister Awards Rs 50 Lakh To 14-Year-Old U19 World Cup Hero
A Career That Broke Records
At the IPL 2025 sale, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made history when the Rajasthan Royals bought him for ₹1.10 crore. He is from Samastipur, Bihar. He became the youngest person ever to sign an IPL deal at 13. His first professional game was on April 19, 2025, against the Lucknow Super Giants. In his first game, he set the league record for the youngest player by 14 years and 23 days. He is now paid ₹7.5 lakh per match under the BCCI’s new match fee policy, as he was retained for the 2026 season.
RR is in fourth place in the points table for 2026, with six wins and four losses. On May 9th, they will play the Gujarat Titans.
RR Squad in the IPL in 2026
Riyan Parag (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Jofra Archer, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-de Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao Parela, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeep Sharma and Nandre Burger.
I am a versatile content writer from the MP region, covering politics, business, crime, current affairs, entertainment, video games, and sports with clear insights, engaging analysis, and timely, reader-focused updates.
