Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s father, Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, has confirmed his son will skip his Class 10 CBSE board examinations this year. The 14-year-old U-19 World Cup hero, fresh from a record-shattering 175 off 80 balls against England, was officially marked absent at his Bihar examination center on Tuesday. Instead of sitting for papers, the left-handed opener is currently stationed at the Rajasthan Royals pre-season camp in Nagpur, fully committing to his second season in the IPL after becoming the tournament’s youngest-ever centurion last year.
A Calculated Decision for Concentrated Focus
Addressing the “hype” surrounding his son’s academic absence, Sanjeev Sooryavanshi explained that appearing for the exams would have compromised Vaibhav’s ability to concentrate on his professional growth.
The family expressed concerns that a poor academic performance due to cricket-related distractions could lead to unnecessary negative publicity.
“My son is in Nagpur, practising with the Rajasthan Royals team members of IPL. There was a lot of hype around his exams this year; he (Vaibhav) has decided to skip them and will appear next year,” Sanjeev Sooryavanshi told Mid-Day
While Vaibhav has been a stellar student in the past, consistently scoring above 90% in school, his father made it clear that the current window is critical for his development with the Rajasthan Royals.
“Vaibhav was good at studies when he was regular at school… but now his priority is cricket,” he added. The plan is now for the teenager to appear for his boards in 2027 instead, allowing him a clear runway for the upcoming T20 season.
Academic Protocols and the School’s Response
Despite Vaibhav’s burgeoning status as a national sporting icon, educational authorities in Samastipur, Bihar, have maintained strict adherence to board policies.
NK Sinha, the principal of Podar International School, confirmed that Vaibhav was marked absent in accordance with standard CBSE regulations after he failed to report to the examination hall.
“He is absent today. He has not come to the examination centre. We have marked him absent according to the policy of CBSE… We were expecting his arrival and to give the examination, but there are other obligations. There could be a cricket match or a practice,” Sinha told ANI
The school had issued his admit card and designated a center, but the principal acknowledged that “other obligations,” such as a high-intensity IPL training camp or matches, often take precedence for athletes of his caliber.
The administration remains supportive, noting that the young star has future opportunities to complete his secondary education.
Training with the Stars at the Rajasthan Royals Academy
Vaibhav’s decision to bypass the classroom has immediate practical implications as he enters the “Nagpur Grind” with the Rajasthan Royals. The 14-year-old is participating in a grueling pre-season camp designed to sharpen his aggressive stroke play before the IPL 2026 season kicks off on March 26.
Following the conclusion of the Nagpur sessions on February 21, the prodigy is set to travel to Mumbai to compete in the prestigious DY Patil Tournament.
His focus remains squarely on building upon his debut season performance, where he amassed 252 runs in seven matches at a blistering strike rate exceeding 200.
