Priyansh Arya on his red-ball ambition: 'If it’s not challenging, it won’t be fun'

Punjab Kings' Priyansh Arya’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season was a mix of ups and downs, but one that reflected his maturity as an aggressive batter. After not so good starts — scores of 26, 16, and 8 in his first three innings in the ongoing edition of the Delhi Premier League — he bounced back with a smashing century, reminding everyone why he is considered one of Delhi’s most exciting young talents.

Reflecting on that turnaround, Priyansh admits he needed a small course correction. “Right from the beginning of the innings, I was trying to be aggressive a little too much. My coach told me to spend some time on the wicket, see the ball, and then attack. That made all the difference,” he said while speaking to WION.

Sharing the dressing room with international stars has been another step forward for the 24-year-old. “The biggest learning was to back my skills as much as possible,” he shared. Spending time with legends like Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer left a lasting impression: “I had a lot of freedom from both of them. Whether it’s scoring 30 in 10 balls or 30 in 30 balls — if it’s good for the team, it’s valuable.”

One lesson even came after failure. “I remember that I was out first ball against Jofra Archer in one of the matches. After the match Ponting told me, ‘Next time if a bowler comes at you, try hitting a six first ball. That gave me confidence,” Priyansh recalled with a smile.

Priyansh first came in the spotlight last year when he smashed six sixes in an over during the inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League. Expectations naturally rose this season, but he insists pressure has never been the issue. “There was no pressure last year, and no pressure this year as well. I only expect myself to perform better than before.”

Still, he knows his game must grow. “Consistency is the main thing. Impactful innings are good, but if the team doesn’t win, then I have to bring more consistency.”

While he has made his name in T20s, Priyansh is clear about his next target — red-ball cricket. “I want to play red-ball cricket for Delhi. The conditions are different, the challenge is tougher. But if it’s not challenging, it won’t be fun,” he says, while adding that current India Test captain Shubman Gill is his inspiration in the longer format of the game.

Priyansh’s journey from the Delhi Premier League to the IPL is now well known, and he continues to see the DPL as the perfect platform for talent. “Every franchise has scouts coming here. Players are being picked from here. If you keep it simple and focus on consistency, that’s the best way forward."

Now representing Outer Delhi Warriors after a season with South Delhi Superstars, he has quickly adapted to the new environment. He also recalled about his partnership with Karan. “When he hit that shot on the first ball and it went for a boundary, I knew he was fearless. I like his confidence,” Priyansh shared.

Coming to the league, Priyansh Arya's Outer Delhi Warriors is at the bottom of the table with just three points from seven matches. The left-handed batter has 191 runs to his name in the ongoing edition along with one century.