India’s rising cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, fresh from his heroics in the 2026 U-19 World Cup, was marked absent from his Class 10 CBSE board examination at Podar International School on Tuesday. The 14-year-old left-handed opener chose to focus on his preparations for the upcoming IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals instead of appearing for the exam.
Notably, Sooryavanshi has joined the Rajasthan Royals’ pre-season camp in Nagpur, gearing up for the IPL starting March 26. His coach and family have emphasized that cricket takes precedence right now, with plans to appear for the boards in the following year.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s school principal on his absence
School principal NK Sinha confirmed the absence to ANI, explaining it followed standard CBSE rules. “He is absent today. He has not come to the examination centre. We have marked him absent according to the policy of CBSE. If a student is absent, we have to mark him absent. We were expecting him to come and give the examination, but there are many other obligations. There could be a cricket match or a practice… I think he will definitely take the next exam,” Sinha said.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s message amid debate
Following the news, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi posted a tweet on social media quoting Thomas Edison: “A single sheet of paper can’t decide my future.”
Sooryavanshi’s decision highlighted the tough choices young talents face between academics and professional sports.
Record-breaking U-19 World Cup performance
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the spotlight in the 2026 U-19 World Cup final against England, smashing a blistering 175 off just 80 balls. His innings featured 15 fours and 15 sixes, with his century coming in only 55 balls, one of the fastest in U-19 World Cup history. This match-winning knock powered India to their sixth title.
He emerged as Player of the Match in the final and Player of the Tournament, amassing 439 runs across seven matches at a strike rate of 169.50 and an average of 62.71. His 30 sixes were the most in the tournament, underlining his explosive power-hitting ability.
Youngest IPL talent with impressive records
Already a trailblazer, Sooryavanshi holds the record as the youngest IPL debutant at 14 years and 23 days. He became the youngest to score an IPL century, blasting one off just 35 balls against Gujarat Titans, surpassing Yusuf Pathan’s previous Indian record for the fastest ton.
The Bihar-born batter, signed by Rajasthan Royals for a hefty sum in the 2025 auction, impressed in his debut IPL season with aggressive stroke play. He is expected to be a key figure for the Royals in IPL 2026, training alongside established stars.
