Priyansh Arya really made a name for himself during his IPL debut for the Punjab Kings against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He kicked off his innings as an opener and managed to score 47 runs off just 23 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes, all at a strike rate that would make any batsman jealous—204.35. There were definitely some lucky moments for him; for instance, he got dropped by leg-spinner Rashid Khan early on and a few of his edges found empty spots in the field. But when he made contact with the ball, it was pure magic. One of the standout moments was when he hit a gorgeous square drive for six against Arshad Khan and followed that up with a beautiful on-drive that raced to the boundary off Kagiso Rabada. Even though Khan came in to bowl right after the powerplay with the intention to dismiss him, by that point, Priyansh had already done more than enough for his team.
For those who have been following Priyansh’s cricket journey from the beginning, this explosive entrance into the IPL was something many expected. He had worked hard to earn his place in the league, and after consistently performing well over the past year, he snagged a hefty contract worth ₹3.8 crore at the 2025 mega auction.
Priyansh’s cricketing journey began out of sheer joy in the lanes of Ashok Vihar, New Delhi. He comes from a family of teachers, but when his dad noticed his passion for cricket, he enrolled him in Sanjay Bharadwaj’s coaching academy in Bharat Nagar. Bharadwaj focused on refining his technique and often encouraged him to practice alongside Gautam Gambhir, another one of his pupils. Priyansh looked up to Gambhir, especially for his skills against spin bowling. One day, when Gambhir gifted him a complete cricket kit, it only fueled his admiration more.
As time went on, Priyansh’s talent shone through. He made his debut for the Delhi state team in T20 format in 2021 and quickly became a name to watch. By 2023, cricket insiders started paying attention to him. His performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was impressive, scoring back-to-back fifties against teams laden with spin and pace like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He finished as Delhi’s top scorer, and he repeated his success in the SMAT 2024, racking up 325 runs in nine matches and maintaining a strike rate of 176.63.
Though he may not be the tallest or the broadest on the field, his batting style could remind some fans of Chris Gayle. What really caught the eye of IPL officials was his stellar performance in the Delhi Premier League, where he was the standout player of the inaugural season, amassing 608 runs, including two centuries. In one thrilling game, he teamed up with his good friend Ayush Badoni, who plays for the Lucknow Super Giants, to create an insane 286-run partnership, helping their team, the South Delhi Superstarz, score over 300 runs in a T20 match.
While he is currently excelling in the T20 format, Priyansh dreams of being an all-format player for India, and with his talent and determination, it seems like nothing can stop him from reaching that goal.
