Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya has been turning heads in the IPL with a trademark mix of acceleration and controlled aggression. Last week, he produced a sensational knock against Lucknow Super Giants, smashing 93 off 37 deliveries to help underline his growing impact in the league.
Priyansh Arya’s rise and Ashwin’s praise
The 24-year-old announced himself to IPL audiences last season, scoring 475 runs for PBKS in his debut campaign. After his latest big-hitting effort versus LSG on Sunday, Ravichandran Ashwin singled out Priyansh for the way he consistently makes meaningful scores, suggesting the batter is already operating at a level slightly ahead of several other emerging talents.
Ashwin’s message was clear: he did not want to set up direct comparisons, but felt Priyansh had moved a step further in terms of both match impact and shot variety. He highlighted that Priyansh is able to build big runs and that his range of strokes gives him an edge. Ashwin made the point in Hindi, saying he is not trying to rank players, but that Priyansh appears to be a step ahead of Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi because he keeps going on to make substantial totals and has a broader set of options.
- Punbjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya struck 93 off 37 balls against Lucknow Super Giants last week.
- He had previously shown the ability to contribute across formats of innings in the current season, with scores of 39 off 11 balls and 57 off 20 balls.
- Ashwin praised Priyansh’s knack for producing big, decisive knocks and noted his wider range of scoring shots.
- Ashwin also argued that Priyansh’s output suggests he is not a one-season wonder, implying he has avoided the “headweight” effect after a strong debut.
Current season numbers
So far in the ongoing campaign, Priyansh has played five matches and accumulated 211 runs. His average stands at 42.2, while his scoring rate has been above 248, reflecting how often he turns pressure situations into quick bursts of runs.
Status of Ayush Mhatre and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
While Priyansh has kept raising his profile, the IPL landscape around him has also shifted for other young batters. Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out for the rest of IPL 2026 due to a hamstring injury. Despite the setback, he has been Chennai Super Kings’ leading run-getter this year, with 201 runs across six innings at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 177.87. His season haul includes two fifties, with a best score of 73.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, continues to be among the tournament’s standout performers. He has amassed 246 runs in six matches so far, reinforcing his reputation as one of the brighter prospects in the league.
