It does sound a little crazy to hear of a school declaring a holiday to honour an absent student, but a high school in Gujarat did just that so all its students could watch India's wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel play.
It was holiday time at the Sri Vidyanagar High School Thursday, where 18-year old Parthiv is enrolled as a Class 12 student.
Run by trustee Himmat Kapasi, who is passionate about cricket, the school has an idiosyncratic tradition of declaring holidays whenever India wins a major tie.
But this time it was a student playing a Test against New Zealand on home ground. And he did not disappoint them.
His quick fire 29 Thursday against the Kiwis dazzled crowds, a feat he followed up with a superb one-hand catch to dismiss Lou Vincent.
One of the school's earliest cricket stars was Mukund Kansara, former captain of Gujarat's Ranji Trophy team, who could not win the Test cap. But Parthiv has fulfilled that dream.
While cricket fans rejoice, the Indian team's youngest player is worried because he is yet to clear his state board exams.
{{/usCountry}}While cricket fans rejoice, the Indian team's youngest player is worried because he is yet to clear his state board exams.
{{/usCountry}}"He was off for the World Cup tour when the exams took place in March. He cannot appear for second trial exams in October. Let us see when it is convenient for him," Ajay Patel, Parthiv's father told IANS at Sardar Patel Stadium where the match is being played.
Not that the family is worried about their son's career.
"Parthiv has got standing offers from State Bank of India as well as from Air-India, though he is yet to decide about them," said Patel.
He is in no hurry to take any decision, as he is already making enough money and has shifted residence to the upper middle class Navarangpura from the old city neighbourhood of Dhanasuthar-ni Pole.
"His lifestyle has changed. But let me assure you that he has not lost touch with any of his friends from the old neighbourhood. More than 70 youngsters from our earlier locality have turned up to cheer him today," Patel said.
"He was so thrilled with his performance Thursday that he requested me to throw a dinner party for all our relatives, so we had a family reunion,"
said the proud father.
This is the first time a Gujarat player is playing on home turf.
While the state has produced a few Test cricketers like Jasu Patel and Karsan Ghavri, they played at a time when none of the stadiums in the state had achieved recognition as Test venues.
The Sardar Patel stadium in suburban Motera is the only Test ground in the state.