IPL Auction: Meet Delhi’s Priyansh Arya, six-hitting machine who went to Punjab Kings for Rs 3.80 crore

On Monday, the 23-year-old from Delhi, who is caller from hitting a 43-ball 102 against Uttar Pradesh successful the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, bagged a Rs 3.80 crore declaration by the Punjab Kings connected the 2nd time of the IPL mega auction successful Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“After the auction, erstwhile helium called maine I told him that they person fixed you Rs 3.80 crore, you springiness them backmost Rs 30 crore with your performances,” Bharadwaj adds.

Arya, who was the top-scorer for Delhi successful past year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 222 runs astatine the onslaught complaint of 166.91, grabbed eyeballs successful the inaugural Delhi Premier League. Playing for South Delhi Superstarz, Arya slammed 608 runs successful 10 innings with a whopping onslaught complaint of 198.69, with 2 centuries and 4 fifty-plus total.

“In the DPL helium besides deed six sixes successful 1 match. Sometimes erstwhile you spot specified talent, you person to springiness them freedom. He volition frustrate you but helium volition triumph you matches,” says Bharadwaj.

Bharadwaj took Priyansh nether his wings erstwhile helium was 7 years old.

“Sanjay sir is similar a deity to us. From the clip erstwhile helium joined his academy. At 6 successful the morning, Sanjay sir volition prime him up from the location and past successful the evening driblet him disconnected arsenic well. It continued for 8 years,” says Priyansh’s begetter Pawan Arya, who is simply a schoolhouse teacher astatine Delhi’s Government Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Lancer Road adjacent Vishwavidyalaya metro station.

Growing up successful Ashok Vihar New Delhi, Priyansh got each the state erstwhile it came to cricket but his parents, some teachers by profession, made definite that helium did good successful his studies also.

“He was 7 erstwhile helium said, helium wants to play cricket. I was good with that but since I americium a schoolhouse teacher and my woman (Radha Bala Arya) is besides a schoolhouse teacher, we made definite that helium gets bully education,” says Pawan.

Pawan has nary thought however galore sixes his lad has scored successful the past match, but helium remembers his son’s marks by heart.

“He has completed BA from Swami Shraddhanand College and scored 67% successful the nether graduation. It was each his hard work. Now helium is pursuing post-graduation from Delhi University,” helium says.

Priyansh had already made a promise. “Last twelvemonth only, helium told maine ‘Papa is saal IPL declaration aa gaya toh aap aur mummy status le lena (If I volition get the IPL declaration this year, you guys should instrumentality aboriginal retirement),” laughs Pawan.

However, contempt giving trials astatine 6-7 academies, Priyansh had failed to get an IPL declaration until now. “He was disappointed similar immoderate young kid,” recalls Bharadwaj. “I played with his ego and told him, you are not accordant enough. If you volition execute 1 successful 5 matches, nary 1 volition prime you. Something snapped wrong him and I saw that successful the DPL, with scouts watching, helium went berserk. And past aft hitting a period successful 1 of the matches, helium told maine ‘Sir, ab toh lenge (now they volition prime me).”

Apart from hitting sixes, Priyansh was besides precise fond of existent Team India manager Gautam Gambhir.

“When I was a kid, I utilized to ticker GG sir grooming successful our academy. I ne'er spoke to him, lone erstwhile I came to the Ranji Trophy camp. Growing up, helium was my idol,” Arya had told reporters connected the sidelines of a DPL match, earlier this year.