Priyansh Arya: Delhi’s emerging star in the IPL galaxy

Priyansh Arya: After years of promises to start a T20 league in Delhi, the Delhi and District Cricket Association finally launched it this year. Public interest reached its peak in late August when South Delhi Superstarz’ batsman Priyansh Arya delivered a breathtaking performance. He captured the imagination of cricket fans as he smashed six sixes in an over and finished the T20 Delhi Premier League (DPL) as the top run scorer.

Arya, a talented left-handed opener in the Rishabh Pant mould, scored two centuries in the DPL – the most by any batsman. The defining moment of the tournament came when Arya hit six consecutive sixes against North Delhi Strikers’ left-arm spinner Manan Bharadwaj at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. This explosive display helped him notch his second century of the tournament in just 40 balls. During the innings, Arya also featured in a remarkable 286-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Ayush Badoni, who himself hammered 165 runs off just 55 balls.

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In the final, however, Himmat Singh’s East Delhi Riders edged out South Delhi Superstarz by three runs to claim the trophy. Nevertheless, Arya’s stellar performance in the DPL – scoring 608 runs in 10 innings – caught the attention of hawk-eyed Indian Premier League (IPL) scouts, making him a hot prospect for the upcoming mega auction.

At the IPL auction, four franchises – Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Mumbai Indians (MI) – engaged in a bidding war for the 23-year-old, who had set his base price at Rs 20 lakh. DC made the first move, followed quickly by MI, Punjab, and RCB. After 34 intense bid calls, Punjab Kings secured Arya for Rs 3.80 crore.

Sandeep Joshi, manager of Delhi’s junior teams and the Central Delhi Kings franchise in the DPL, has closely followed Arya’s progress. He shared insights into Arya’s journey, including the disappointment of going unsold in last year’s IPL auction.

“He was keen to play in the IPL last year, but when no team picked him, he became despondent. I had a proper chat with him, though not with the intention of teaching him any lessons,” Joshi told Patriot.

Despite scoring 222 runs, including two half-centuries, in seven matches during the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Arya was overlooked. This year, however, the DPL provided Arya with the perfect platform ahead of the IPL auction, and he capitalised on it. Emerging as the top scorer with 608 runs, Arya has continued his fine form in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In seven matches, he has amassed 252 runs, including a century and a half-century, helping Delhi secure a spot in the quarterfinals. They are set to face Uttar Pradesh on December 11 in Bangalore.

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“Arya comes from a humble background but is brimming with talent. He is a stroke player – he even scored a double century for Delhi’s under-19 team (271 vs Saurashtra in the Cooch Behar Trophy in 2017) – and his timing and shot selection are superb. Consistency has been a bit of an issue in the past couple of seasons, though,” says Joshi.

It seems, however, that Arya, the son of a school teacher, is beginning to address this challenge. His performances in the DPL and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy reflect a newfound consistency, marking him as a player to watch in the upcoming IPL season.