Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], February 15 (ANI): Punjab Kings’ new addition and blazing young batter Priyansh Arya is all set for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Arya, who has been playing cricket since the age of 9, was picked by the Kings in the 2025 mega auction and will be playing his first-ever IPL season.
“I am really excited to meet head coach Ricky Ponting. I love his pull shot. Apart from that, I am also excited to meet Shreyas. I love his attitude and the way he walks. I have never met Shreyas earlier. I think he is a great leader, he has won IPL and all domestic trophies as a captain. So I feel he is the best leader,” the 24-year-old was quoted in a release from Punjab Kings as saying.
Arya took the nation by storm when he hit six sixes in an over, in Delhi’s domestic T20 league in August 2024, becoming the fourth Indian cricketer to do so. Recalling the moment, he revealed that a special message came for him after he achieved the feat from India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav.
“After three sixes, I believed that I could hit six sixes as well, as my partner Ayush Badoni was hitting four to five sixes in an over, in every match. After I did so, Suryakumar Yadav messaged me and said that my batting was total entertainment and asked me to keep believing in myself. It was quite motivating for me,” he added.
Ahead of IPL season 17, Arya was up for the auctions but was not grabbed by any franchise. But he did not let the setback deter him and he continued to work hard on his game.
Recalling his emotions before last season’s IPL, the 24-year-old opening batter, said, “I felt bad about not being selected. This year, again, I had a lot of expectations from the auctions but I was not thinking about it and was focused on Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 matches. After I was picked by Punjab Kings, I was elated but could not celebrate much as I continued to focus on the tournaments. I will surely celebrate soon,” Arya said.
Coached by World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting and led by the talented Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings will enter IPL 2025 in an all-new avatar and begin their title quest. (ANI)
