'I never look at personal goals, I just think about how to..': Ayush Badoni

The inaugural season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) witnessed fireworks when the captain of South Delhi Superstarz, Ayush Badoni, along with Priyansh Arya, smashed record books with a 286-run partnership against North Delhi Strikers, the highest ever in T20 history. Badoni hammered 19 sixes, breaking Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for most sixes in a T20 innings. Their team, South Delhi Superstarz, posted 308/5, the second-highest T20 team total ever.

Now, as season 2 of DPL is about to commence, Badoni is all focused on winning the silverware after narrowly missing it in the first season. Speaking exclusively to WION, the young star opened up about his goals, team dynamics and how DPL acts as a platform for bigger stages like the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“I performed well, but I think I could have won more matches for my team,” Badoni said. Yet, throughout the conversation, there was a clear sense of unfinished business, a young captain still thinking of how narrowly they missed out on glory last season. He quickly turned his attention to the road ahead. “We have a very good squad, and we are thinking about how to win trophies,” he said. “And we have prepared for that, you’ll see it," he added.

Despite the spotlight often following his individual records, Badoni reflected on the team-first approach. “I never look at personal goals. I just think about how to win for my team,” he said when asked about his mindset for the upcoming season.

His form in last year’s DPL helped launch a strong IPL campaign in 2025, where he scored 329 runs in 14 matches, including two fifties, at a strike rate of 148.20. Badoni finished as the highest-scoring Indian batter for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), with only Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram scoring more runs than him.

Talking about that transition, Badoni said, “DPL is like a mini IPL. I try to give my team as many matches as possible.” The experience, he explained, becomes a foundation. “Of course, I feel confident that I have made runs on a good platform. So that confidence goes to IPL as well.”

This time, the mission is simple for Badoni: no records, just lifting the silverware. “We were very satisfied with how the auction went. We managed to pick the players we had our eyes on, which was a big positive. The atmosphere within the team is great, and everyone is focused and motivated. As a unit, our ultimate goal is clear: to lift the trophy.'' Badoni said during a press conference ahead of the second season of DPL.

Meanwhile, the second season of DPL is set to commence on Sunday (Aug 2) with the first game to be played between Central Delhi Kings and North Delhi Strikers at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Badoni's South Delhi Superstarz will lock horns with defending champions East Delhi Riders on Monday (Aug 3). It will be a rematch of last year's summit clash.