When it comes to cricket in India, we often talk about centuries, strike rates, batting averages and bowling – but rarely do we talk about the level of education these players have received before reaching this stage. Some of the top Indian cricketers who quit their studies early to pursue their cricketing dreams are cricketers who managed to complete their college education along with their cricketing careers. Here is a list of some of the most famous Indian cricketers that we have taken a look at:
1. MS Dhoni – College Dropout
Before becoming India’s best-known captain and wicket-keeper batsman, Dhoni was a student at St. Xavier’s College in Ranchi city of Bihar. Dhoni enrolled in college for a B.Com degree but could not pursue his studies due to his passion for cricket. Eventually, he dropped out of college. But that did not stop him from creating a legacy that very few can match.
2. Virat Kohli – 12th pass
Virat studied at Vishal Bharati Public School and later moved to Saviour Convent to stay close to his cricket academy. He cleared his 12th class exams but couldn’t go to college. By then, he was representing India at the Under-19 level.
3. Rohit Sharma – Not a graduate
Rohit did his schooling from Our Lady of Vailankanni High School and then joined Swami Vivekananda School on a cricket scholarship. He joined Rizvi College but dropped out soon to focus on cricket completely.
4. KL Rahul – B.Com graduate
Coming from a family of professors, Rahul maintained a balance between studies and batting. He did his schooling from Mangalore, did his pre-university from St. Aloysius College and later after moving to Bengaluru, he completed his B.Com degree from K Jain University.
5. Shreyas Iyer – Graduate in Commerce
Shreyas received his education from Don Bosco High School in Mumbai and later got a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Poddar College. Along with college, he also made a name for himself in Mumbai cricket.
6. Mohammed Shami – Class 10 pass
Shami focused on cricket from a very young age. He studied till Class 10 from a local school in Moradabad but could not pursue further. Financial constraints and a strong desire to play cricket kept him away from the classroom.
7. Suryakumar Yadav – B.Com graduate
Favored as SKY, he received his schooling from Atomic Energy Central School and later got a B.Com degree from Pillai College in Mumbai. He is one of the few current players who have a proper academic degree.
8. Shubman Gill – Dropped out after Class 10
Gill did his early schooling in Mohali, but could not continue his studies after Class 10 as he was already very serious about his cricket. And later, his cricket career grew rapidly and studies took a backseat.
9. Ravindra Jadeja – College Dropout
Jadeja studied at Sharadagram School in Gujarat. He attended college for a while, but dropped out to devote more time to cricket. Today, he is adept at everything – batting, bowling and fielding, and is a professional player.
10. Ravichandran Ashwin – B.Tech in IT
Ashwin is known for his strong academic background. He studied at Padma Seshadri and St. Bede’s in Chennai before pursuing B.Tech in Information Technology from SSN College of Engineering. He also achieved a lot in cricket.
11. Mohammed Siraj – 12th pass
Siraj completed his schooling from Safa Junior College in Hyderabad. Coming from a humble background, he focused more on making a name for himself in cricket than on a good education.
12. Shardul Thakur – Did not complete college
Shardul studied at Vivekananda International School and went to college but later quit to focus completely on his cricket career. This move proved to be very effective for his life.
Last Words
These players teach us that nothing can stop us from achieving success. Some chose the path of studies, while some chose cricket as their profession. For now, it is their dedication on the field that has brought them to where they are today.
