Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as one of the brightest prospects in age-group cricket, turning heads with his remarkable consistency and maturity beyond his years. After a breakout maiden IPL season that sparked calls for a senior team debut, he carried that momentum into youth cricket. His standout performances at the U19 World Cup proved decisive, as he played a central role in guiding India to the title and cementing his reputation as a future star.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi had an outstanding Under-19 World Cup. (BCCI X)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
The 14-year-old was all set to appear for his Class 10 board examinations and live the routine life of a student. However, he chose to skip them and join Rajasthan Royals for training ahead of the upcoming IPL season.
As the buzz around Vaibhav continues to grow, his father, Sanjeev Sooryavanshi, has revealed why his son chose cricket over classrooms this year, prioritising his training stint with Rajasthan Royals and putting his board examinations on hold.
"My son is practising in Nagpur with the Rajasthan Royals IPL team members. There was a lot of hype around his exams this year, so he has decided to skip them and will appear next year. Had he appeared for the exams, he would not have been able to concentrate," Sanjeev told Mid-Day.
Speaking further, Sanjeev highlighted that while his son has consistently excelled academically in the past, scoring above 90 per cent when attending school regularly, his immediate focus has now shifted firmly towards cricket.
"Vaibhav was good in studies when he was regular at school. He used to get above 90 per cent in all subjects, but now his priority is cricket," said Sanjeev.
Vaibhav owned the stage at U19 World Cup
Meanwhile, Vaibhav delivered a knock for the ages in the U19 World Cup final against England in Harare, blasting 175 off just 80 balls. His innings, packed with 15 fours and 15 sixes, is the highest individual score ever recorded in a single Under-19 World Cup match.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
Across the tournament, he amassed 439 runs in seven outings, finishing as the second-highest run-getter with an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49. The tally featured a century and three half-centuries, with 175 as his best. He also smashed 30 sixes during the campaign, a new tournament record, going past the 18 hit by Dewald Brevis in the 2022 edition.
Aditya Maheshwari is a Chief Content Producer and sports journalist with over seven years of experience covering the sports beat across formats and platforms. A cricket-first reporter by profession, he also follows football closely and considers it an integral part of his sporting journey. His work is shaped by a strong on-ground understanding of the game and an ability to translate match-day moments into clear, engaging stories that connect with readers across digital audiences. Over the years, he has developed a balanced approach that combines factual accuracy with narrative clarity, ensuring that both breaking developments and deeper insights are presented with context. Aditya has reported from the field at several major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, the Indian Premier League, and the Indian Super League. First-hand coverage of these events has strengthened his ability to read the pulse of high-pressure contests, whether through live reporting, post-match analysis, or long-form storytelling. Working closely around teams, venues, and evolving storylines has helped him develop a strong sense of timing and editorial judgment. While cricket remains his primary focus, Aditya regularly reports on football and keeps a close watch on other sports such as tennis, hockey, and badminton. His wide-ranging interest allows him to approach stories with broader perspective, understanding how different sporting ecosystems function and evolve. Comfortable in fast-paced digital newsrooms, Aditya is well-versed in modern sports coverage, from live blogs and real-time updates to in-depth analysis and audience-focused storytelling. He believes in keeping sports writing simple, accurate, and grounded, with emphasis on clarity over complexity. At the core of his work lies a commitment to credible reporting and telling stories that go beyond the numbers on the scoreboard, highlighting the people, preparation, and pressure behind every performance.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cricket/Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's father reveals why 14-year-old prodigy decides to skip Class X exams: ‘There was a lot of hype’
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
