Wisden recently revealed its annual cricket awards, and among the standout winners is an impressive young cricketer named Aryaman Varma, who at just 18 has made quite a name for himself. This legspinner, who hails from Indian roots, clinched the Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year award after showcasing his skills by taking 51 wickets and scoring 300 runs while captaining Elton College in Berkshire, England. Varma’s achievement makes him the 17th person to receive this coveted award, joining a list of notable past winners like Jonny Bairstow, the first to snag the award back in 2008, and Jos Buttler, who was honored in 2010.
When Varma spoke to The Times of India about the win, you could tell just how much it meant to him. “It’s a massive deal winning this award, he shared. You wouldn’t believe how he found out! He had just wrapped up a workout at the gym, checked his email, and bam – there it was, the amazing news. He had to look at that email a couple of times to wrap his head around it before he could share it with his family.
Born in London but with deep family ties to Delhi, Varma’s early childhood in Mumbai sparked his passion for cricket. Earlier this year, he caught the attention of the ILT20 franchise Dubai Capitals, who brought him on board as a partial replacement for Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk. He joined their squad just in time to help them secure the title, quite the achievement for someone so young!
Like his idols Butler and Bairstow, Varma dreams big and has his sights set on representing England on the international stage someday. “The goal is one day to represent England internationally. I’m only 18 years old, so it’s still too early to decide exactly where I’m going to go with my future in white-ball cricket or red-ball cricket, he mentioned, showing a good head on his shoulders.
For the past three years, Varma has also been part of the IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, serving as their net bowler. He’s been lucky enough to have some guidance from seasoned player Kuldeep Yadav, who has taken him under his wing. “Kuldeep bhai has given me just one piece of advice. He has told me that at my age, I should just play matches. He says the more match experience I have, the better I will become, Varma explained, emphasizing the importance of gaining hands-on experience.
With his talent, drive, and the right support, it feels like Aryaman Varma has a bright future ahead in cricket. It’ll be exciting to see where he goes from here!
