On April 24, just ahead of the Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings clash, Priyansh Arya was out at Khan Market in New Delhi, stopping for selfies as fans spotted him. A small crowd quickly turned into a larger one, forcing the left-handed opener to slip away to his car. Only about a year ago he could move through public spaces without being recognised, but IPL performances since the 2025 season have changed that. Arya has provided Punjab Kings with explosive starts, including a 17-ball 43 against Delhi Capitals.
Key takeaways
- Arya’s quick-fire form has helped Punjab Kings repeatedly get off to strong starts, highlighted by a 17-ball 43 versus Delhi Capitals.
- He backed himself to keep batting naturally after early IPL 2025 advice from head coach Ricky Ponting.
- In his standout CSK innings, he described specific plans for taking on Matheesha Pathirana and Ashwin.
- Arya believes the opening phase—especially the first six overs—demands high intent, shaped by the match situation and pitch conditions.
- He credits DPL for turning disappointment from the 2024 auction into an IPL opportunity, along with guidance from Punjab’s coaches and analysts.
From domestic big scores to IPL attention
A few days earlier, playing at Punjab Kings’ home base in New Chandigarh, Arya struck a 37-ball 93. This season he also registered a 16-ball half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and last IPL he smashed a 39-ball century against Chennai Super Kings.
Speaking about that century, Arya explained how his batting approach and the support around him have shaped his mindset, helping him stay calm and execute his game when the match demands it.
Ponting’s message: bat naturally
The conversation then turned to Ponting’s early guidance. Arya said that when he first met the coach ahead of the previous season, Ponting’s message was simple: don’t try to impress in the nets. Arya noted that the desire to perform in a first meeting can create added pressure, and he felt that advice helped him settle quickly.
He added that Ponting essentially asked him to bat naturally in both practice and matches, and Arya believes that normalised the pressure from day one.
Asked whether he wanted to impress Ponting, Arya said not really, but acknowledged that being in his first season could easily have led to such thoughts. Still, he felt Ponting helped remove that instinct immediately after their first conversation.
Temperament, confidence, and the CSK century
Arya said he enjoys playing shots and, while he still reads the situation, he had belief that he could pull Punjab Kings out of difficult moments by sticking to his natural style. He pointed to the CSK game as proof of that approach, describing it as an innings where he played his way through and got the century.
He was also asked about his development into a powerplay hitter. Arya explained that after his Under-19 stage, he began striking more sixes. In Under-19 cricket he batted one-down or two-down for Delhi, but once he moved to Under-23, he found no place in the Delhi setup due to seniors and age constraints. He recalled a selector asking, “Opening kar lega?” and said he agreed because he simply wanted to play. From that point, he became an opener.
Looking specifically at the powerplay, Arya said he feels he can hit with ease, and that the confidence comes from how he sees the early overs.
Learning from others’ powerplay style
When asked if any batter’s powerplay approach influenced him, Arya said not exactly. He enjoyed watching Yuvraj Singh growing up, but noted that Yuvraj wasn’t an opener. Arya said he currently draws confidence from players such as Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, because their batting style gives him the sense that he can play similarly.
Reading Pathirana and Ashwin ball-by-ball
Arya then broke down the CSK match, including his contest with Matheesha Pathirana, whom he struck for three sixes. He said it was his first time facing Pathirana. Arya stated that when he was around 75 or 76 (near 80), Pathirana bowled a wide-yorker type delivery on the first ball. Arya sliced it for six over point. He said he expected the next ball to be within the stumps and again hit it for six, this time over midwicket.
He emphasised that good planning requires being a step ahead, because the bowler is also thinking about what the batter might do.
Asked about the speed of that first delivery he sliced, Arya said it was roughly around 145 kph. He also explained how he practises against pace, saying he shortens the wicket length to face faster deliveries, places the stumps at 18 yards, and works with plastic balls as well as wet balls—conditions that are common in real cricket.
Arya was also questioned about hitting R Ashwin for runs in the same match. He said Ashwin would clearly have understood his intent, and he felt the confidence boost that comes from striking sixes against India’s best offspinner.
He then described the first-ball six against Ashwin as planned. Arya said the square-leg fielder was in the circle and Ashwin was bowling in the powerplay, so Arya aimed to take a relatively safer route by going over the 30-yard region without necessarily clearing the boundary. He added that the shot ended up clearing the boundary anyway.
When asked about another moment where he exposed his stumps yet still struck Ashwin over cover for four, Arya said that too was a planned decision. He explained that Ashwin had pushed midwicket and long-on back, leading him to expect a delivery within the stumps—so he chose to make room and attack.
Where he learned to decode bowlers
Even though it was his maiden IPL season, Arya said he was able to read bowlers’ plans. He credited Punjab Kings’ analyst Saurabh Walkar, saying Walkar helps him by sharing details about where each bowler delivers in different phases—especially in the death overs—as well as how they bowl with the new ball, how they create swing, and when they shorten their length. Arya said having that knowledge makes him better prepared before match day.
Fleming’s praise and handling early setbacks
After the CSK match, Arya recalled comments from head coach Stephen Fleming. Fleming, Arya said, highlighted how special it is when a batter at the other end refuses to let the innings collapse and instead creates momentum by taking the game into their own hands. Arya noted that Punjab Kings lost five wickets in the first eight overs, but said that didn’t stop him from believing he could still play his way out of the situation. He described the innings as one of the best of his life.
New bat, new mindset
Arya also addressed an earlier claim that he used a fresh bat against CSK because he hadn’t received enough runs in the first three matches. He confirmed that he went into the CSK game with a proper new bat, explaining that he had used multiple new bats during the season—about five or six—after not even taking them into the nets. He said he only gave them to Brad Haddin to use during fielding drills before bringing them into match play.
Confidence from hitting sixes
When asked about his sixes in the Delhi Premier League and how that helped bring him an IPL contract, Arya said those moments gave him confidence because very few players are able to clear the ropes repeatedly. He acknowledged that many can hit sixes, but a bowler can deny that feat with even one good delivery. Arya suggested that on that particular day his timing was very good, putting pressure on the bowler and showing him he could hit both spinners and pacers.
Asked when he knew he could chase a record, Arya said that after he had struck four sixes, he sensed he could go for the remaining two. He also revealed he kept the bat at home and hasn’t used it since, calling six-hitting a rare, once-in-a-lifetime kind of achievement.
Jofra Archer first-ball dismissal and mental balance
Before his CSK century, Arya said he was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Jofra Archer in the match. He described facing Archer for the first time and said Archer approached the crease smoothly. Arya explained that when Archer snapped his wrist to deliver, Arya realised he was a fraction late in getting set and couldn’t judge the ball well. Arya said the ball was very good and added that he didn’t want to describe it in detail so it wouldn’t replay in his mind. He stressed that dwelling on a single event only adds pressure and takes away from natural decision-making.
He then said his youth coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, always told him to focus on what’s next and forget what has happened—whether he scores or not. Arya said that advice has helped him maintain mental balance.
Handling dismissals after CSK and SRH
Asked about his reaction after getting out in his last two matches—against CSK and then SRH—Arya said that versus CSK he didn’t even understand why he played a certain shot. He said he does not attempt it in the nets, yet it happened in the match. Arya added that somehow a thought came to him to step out, even though he typically doesn’t step out against fast bowlers. He said he wasn’t sure if it was instinct, but he remembered Ponting pointing it out, saying he had never seen Arya like that. Arya said he could have stayed at the crease and played the same shot, but the moment passed—“ho gaya, koi nahin,” which he said roughly means it happens and you move on.
In the SRH match, Arya said it wasn’t really a wicket-taking delivery, which left him disappointed. He said he wanted to hit straight, but the bat face turned.
Why the powerplay matters for openers
Arya was then asked whether the first ten balls are crucial, given his strong strike-rate and boundary output early in innings. He agreed, saying it’s important not just for him but for the team because the powerplay lasts only six overs and there isn’t much time to settle. He also said Punjab Kings were chasing totals above 200 in the last two matches, which means they need as many runs as possible in the powerplay.
He was further asked if opening batters now face extra pressure to go at a high tempo in the powerplay. Arya replied that it depends on the wicket. If the pitch is slow and turning, he said even 45 runs can be adequate as long as the team has wickets in hand. He also added that if pressure exists on the batters, it exists on bowlers too.
Support from Ponting and Shreyas Iyer
Arya discussed chats with Ponting and Shreyas Iyer and how both have helped him grow. He said he has never heard a negative word from either of them, even if the team’s result didn’t go their way. Arya said that attitude helps strengthen team bonding.
He recalled that in the first match of the season, he got out playing a pull shot. Arya said Ponting told him not to stop playing the pull because it is one of his scoring options. Arya said that in the next match he hit two or three sixes off the pull, giving him confidence that comes from receiving fearless, belief-building advice from a major coach.
He said a similar approach applies to Shreyas “bhaiya”. Arya said last year, after he was dismissed on the first ball against RR, Shreyas asked him what he was thinking. Arya explained that since it was his first time facing Jofra Archer, he felt he should watch at least one ball. Shreyas then told him, “Pehli ball par chakka mar sakta hain?” and Arya agreed. Shreyas finished by saying, “Toh, mar na phir.” Arya said that in the next match, against CSK, he hit a first-ball six, and Shreyas later told him not to worry because he would play all 14 matches.
Life outside cricket and the rise to India talk
Arya also spoke about life at home, saying he and his family have bought a house. Previously they stayed in government apartments on rent because his mother and father are teachers. Now he said the house is in his mother’s name, and he feels proud.
He addressed his pathway as well. While many young players jump to the IPL through the Under-19 route and Under-19 World Cup performances, Arya said he did not play the Under-19 World Cup and even went unsold at the 2024 IPL auction. He explained that he didn’t feel bad about missing the Under-19 World Cup because he hadn’t played Under-19 for Delhi in the usual way. He cited BCCI rules that restrict players who haven’t played Under-16 to only two years at Under-19 level. Arya said he hadn’t played Under-16 or Under-14 for Delhi and therefore wasn’t even in the selection scheme for the Under-19 World Cup.
He said he did feel hurt when he went unsold at the 2024 auction, but another chance came through the DPL. Arya said he told himself he wanted to become the player of the tournament, aiming to be the leading run-scorer in DPL that season. He said that is what happened and it helped him earn an IPL spot, adding that DPL played a major role in his rise.
Enjoyment, performance, and the team goal
Finally, Arya answered whether he plays to enjoy or to perform. He said if he enjoys himself as much as possible, he will perform better. Arya stressed that his only goal is for the team to win and become champions. He said focusing too much on personal milestones could risk letting the team down, whereas thinking about winning the IPL will help both the side and his own game.
