Doubt to Determination’: Priyansh Arya’s Incredible Journey from IPL Rejection to Maiden Ton
Growing up in New Delhi’s Ashok Vihar, left-handed opener Priyansh Arya dreamed of IPL glory. Watching Brendon McCullum’s unbeaten 158 in the first IPL match in 2008 ignited a fire in him to one day make a mark in the tournament.
New Delhi: Growing up in New Delhi’s Ashok Vihar, left-handed opener Priyansh Arya dreamed of IPL glory. Watching Brendon McCullum’s unbeaten 158 in the first IPL match in 2008 ignited a fire in him to one day make a mark in the tournament.
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Arya’s Explosive IPL Century
Earlier this week, Arya’s blistering 42-ball 103 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Mullanpur drew comparisons to McCullum’s iconic knock. His 39-ball century is now the joint fourth-fastest in IPL history.
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“The feeling has obviously been very great that I hit a hundred… I felt very proud of myself,” said Arya in a virtual round-table.
From DPL Stardom to IPL Contract
Arya shot into the limelight after smashing six sixes in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) and finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer. The performance earned him a Rs 3.8 crore IPL contract, a massive turnaround from being overlooked in trials before.
The Calm Mindset Behind the Storm
Arya credits his success to mental preparation and composure on the field.
“The more you are able to keep yourself calm, the better it works in terms of performances,” he shared.
Support from Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer
After being dismissed first ball by Jofra Archer in an earlier match, Arya bounced back with backing from head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer.
“Ricky sir said… if I get the same ball in the next match, I should hit it out of the ground,” Arya recalled.
Shreyas encouraged him to trust his instincts and play freely, a message that boosted Arya’s confidence.
Humble Beginnings and Gradual Growth
Before his breakthrough in DPL 2024, Arya was relatively unknown, despite debuting for Delhi’s senior team in 2021 and being selected in the U19 squad in 2019 thanks to selector Amit Bhandari.
Maturity and Consistency: Keys to Success
Arya emphasized that his batting boldness evolved with time and experience.
“With time and maturity, you have to make changes… You can’t keep playing like you used to.”
He also credited his coach Sanjay Bhardwaj, saying, “He told me to stay on the wicket, and I’d get a chance to move forward. That mindset helped me.”
