From the Pitch to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Vaibhav’s childhood coach, Manish Ojha, confirmed that the left-handed dasher will not feature in Bihar’s clash against Manipur on Friday, December 26, or any subsequent matches in the tournament.
- The Ceremony: Vaibhav is among the select group of high achievers being recognized at the Prime Minister’s National Children’s Award (Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar) ceremony.
- The Honors: He will be honored by President Draupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also scheduled to interact with the awardees.
- The Schedule: “Vaibhav had to report at 7 AM today for the ceremony,” Ojha told Hindustan Times. “He won’t return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy as he needs to get in sync for the U19 World Cup.”
A Week of World Records
Vaibhav’s invitation to the capital comes on the heels of a historic performance against Arunachal Pradesh earlier this week that left the cricketing world in awe.
| Achievement | Statistic |
| Score | 190 runs off just 84 balls |
| Fastest List-A Century | Reached in 36 balls (Youngest ever) |
| Fastest 150 | Beat AB de Villiers’ record by 10 deliveries |
| Sixes in an Innings | 15 sixes (Most by an Indian in List-A) |
| Team Total | Helped Bihar reach a world-record 574/6 |
The Road to the U19 World Cup
Despite his domestic success, Vaibhav faces a point of redemption on the international stage. While he started the U19 Asia Cup with a dominant 171 against the UAE, his form dipped in the latter stages, culminating in a heart-wrenching loss to Pakistan in the final.
The final also saw the youngster make headlines for the wrong reasons after a heated exchange with Pakistan pacer Ali Raza. After being given a “send-off,” Vaibhav pointed to his shoe in a defiant gesture that drew mixed reactions from fans and critics alike.
Next Stop: Zimbabwe & Italy Immediately following the ceremony in Delhi, the southpaw will link up with the India U19 squad. The contingent is set to travel to Zimbabwe for preparatory matches before the U19 World Cup officially kicks off on January 15, 2026.