Vaibhav Sooryavanshi switches pitches: 175 in U-19 World Cup final, now class 10 boards

After a historic ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 campaign, where his blistering 175 powered India to a record-extending sixth title, young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is set to swap cricket whites for school uniform as he prepares to appear for his Class 10 board examinations — stepping briefly away from the spotlight to embrace student life.

Neel Kishore, principal of Podar International School, Samastipur, confirmed that the 14-year-old will soon take guard on the “academic pitch”, stressing that he will receive no special treatment despite his cricketing fame.



"Cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will appear for the Class 10th board exams at our school. He has received his admit card. There is excitement among everyone, be it teachers, students or parents, for his arrival. However, we have made arrangements with that in mind, as he is still a student and will be appearing for his examination. This is an academic pitch, not a cricket pitch. We will ensure students have no issues taking the exams. All the facilities, safety, and security will be the same for all. Exams will start on February 17," Neel told ANI.

Sooryavanshi saved his best for the U19 World Cup final against England in Harare, smashing 175 off just 80 balls, including 15 fours and 15 sixes — the most sixes in a single U19 World Cup innings. He finished as the second-highest run-getter of the tournament with 439 runs in seven matches at an average of 62.71 and a strike rate of 169.49, registering a century and three fifties.

He also set a new benchmark for power-hitting, hammering a record 30 sixes in the tournament — eclipsing Dewald Brevis’ tally of 18 in the 2022 edition — and now holds the record for the most sixes in U19 World Cup history.

In U19 ODIs overall, Sooryavanshi is India’s leading run-scorer, amassing 1,412 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.48 and a strike rate above 165, including four centuries and seven fifties, with a highest score of 175.

His meteoric rise began in October 2024 when he struck a 58-ball century against Australia U19 in Chennai — the fastest by an Indian batter in Youth Tests. Soon after, he made headlines at the IPL 2025 mega auction, securing a Rs 1.1 crore deal with Rajasthan Royals and becoming the youngest player in IPL history.

In an IPL clash against Gujarat Titans, the 14-year-old created more records, becoming the youngest T20 centurion and the first Indian to register the fastest IPL fifty. Announcing himself with a first-ball six in the league, he finished the season with 252 runs in seven innings at an average of 36.00 and a staggering strike rate of 206.55, including a century and a fifty.

His exploits continued across formats — from a 52-ball century that made him the youngest and fastest U19 centurion, to a 61-ball 108 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy that made him the youngest centurion in the tournament’s history, and an 84-ball 190 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he became the youngest List A centurion and the second-fastest Indian to reach the milestone.

While his aggressive, high-risk approach can sometimes lead to off-days, it is equally breathtaking when it clicks — the ball flying off his bat to all corners as he continues to take every format by storm.



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