3 current Indian players who once skipped exams to play cricket

Jemimah Rodrigues is a well-known name in the women's cricket fraternity. She skipped her 12th board exams to make her debut for India in 2018. She made her debut for India in the shortest format in February 2018 and her ODI debut a month later.

Jemimah is not the only current Indian skipper who has had to skip exams to build a career in cricket. Here is a look at three such cricketers who had to choose cricket over academics and tasted success:

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3 current Indian players who once skipped exams to play cricket

#1 Ravi Bishnoi:

Bishnoi had to skip his board exams in 2018 to be a cricketer

Ravi Bishnoi was a net bowler for the Rajasthan Royals in March 2018 and wanted to make a career in cricket. However, the said period coincided with his board exams and Bishnoi, against the wishes of his father, skipped the exams to build a career in cricket.

Pradyot Singh, one of Bishnoi’s coaches at the Spartan Academy in Jodhpur, revealed to the Times of India the following:

"It was March 2018. He had to wait for his turn and he was not sure if he would get a chance to bowl in the Royals' nets session. After his father asked him to come back, he thought of leaving. But as destiny had it, he stayed put and didn't appear for Boards that year and is yet to sit for the exam."

He tasted success in cricket at a young age, picking up 17 wickets in the U19 World Cup 2020. He has also represented India in 10 T20Is and one ODI to date and is one of the players to look out for in the future.

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#2 Venkatesh Iyer:

Northamptonshire v India - T20 Tour Match

Venkatesh Iyer has represented India in nine T20Is and two ODIs and has played 22 matches in the IPL. He has tasted success with the Kolkata Knight Riders and will look to make a comeback to the Indian team based on strong performances in IPL 2023.

Iyer was pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course and had passed the Intermediate exam. However, he could not proceed to the next level and dropped out before the final year to concentrate on his cricket career. He thereafter opted for an MBA in Business Administration.

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#3 Virat Kohli:

Virat Kohli once revealed in a chat with Amir Khan that he has passed the 11th standard examinations. However, as he shifted his concentration to U-19 cricket, he could not give and accordingly skipped his class 12 examinations.

Kohli is one of the most successful batsmen to have played the game. He has scored 75 international centuries and is only second to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as far as international centuries are concerned.