The Delhi boy Priyansh Arya who entered the elite list of batters to hit six sixes in an over of a T20 match started a mini-bidding war between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. In the end, PBKS acquired his services for Rs 3.8 crore on Day 2 of the auction. Arya's coach Sanjay Bharadwaj was elated to see his disciple get picked by the PBKS franchise. He wants them to pay them back multifold with his performances.
“After the auction, when he called me I told him that they have given you Rs 3.80 crore, you give them back Rs 30 crore with your performances,” Bharadwaj told Indian Express about his conversation with the 23-year-old.
Arya is a big-hitting opening batter who was the highest run-scorer in the inaugural edition of Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2024 for South Delhi Superstarz. He also shared a record-breaking partnership with his captain Ayush Badoni against North Delhi Strikers. His coach revealed that the six-hitting menace's strength has always been taking the aerial route, something which he realised over a period of time.
“All my life, I have told my students to play in the V, and If I remember correctly when it came to Priyansh, I never stopped him from playing the aerial shots. Initially, I did give him dressing down but I realised that’s his strength and I gave him complete freedom, and he never looked back,” he said.
Arya's role in PBKS?
Arya may be charged by coach Ricky Ponting to carry out the role of Jake Fraser-McGurk as an opener. He went berserk in Delhi's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024 opener against Uttar Pradesh with a 43-ball 102 at Wankhede Stadium. He would have gone on to hit more had it not been for the run out in the 17th over. The young opener's knock was laced with five fours and 10 sixes.
When Arya gets a chance, he may open the innings alongside either Prabhsimran Singh or Australian wicketkeeeper-batter Josh Inglis. Marcus Stoinis is another option in PBKS to open the innings.
