'I wanted to talk to MS Dhoni but was busy with my interview': Priyansh Arya missed his moment, CSK legend 'left'
Priyansh Arya says he got perilously close to talking to MS Dhoni but wasn't able to do so.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 features some of the biggest names in international cricket, but time and time again, the youngsters have shown that they are ready to square off with the big boys and give them a run for their money. Punjab Kings' opening batter Priyansh Arya arguably produced the tournament's performance thus far, hitting a blistering 103-run knock in 42 balls to take the wind out of Chennai Super Kings' sails.
Priyansh maintained his hitting onslaught despite losing wickets at the other end. This eventually led to him registering a 39-ball century, the fastest-ever by an uncapped player in the history of the T20 tournament. This was also the fifth-fastest ton in the IPL and the fastest ever against the five-time champions, CSK. What made this innings even special was that he didn't look afraid to take his chances against the threatening trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Matheesha Pathirana, and Noor Ahmad.
Priyansh revealed that he indeed felt the pressure of playing against former India captain MS Dhoni, who had the best seat in the house to witness the youngster's onslaught. However, Priyansh did not get a chance to speak to the CSK talisman after the game. The young opening batter also explained his thought process behind targetting Ashwin.
"I am very lucky that I was able to play with him. Obviously, very few people get a chance like this. So I feel very lucky that I was able to play with him. There was obviously pressure that he was standing behind, and the bowlers were also legends. Like Ashwin, sir. So it was a very good feeling to play with him. And I wanted to talk to him [Dhoni] but I couldn't because I was busy with my interview and he left. So I couldn't talk to him, but I really wanted to talk to him," said Priyansh Arya during a media roundtable on Thursday.
"I thought Ashwin would try to cramp me, so I thought of hitting a sweep. He tried to cramp me, so I hit the same shot. I didn't think much. I went straight and hit the ball," he added.
Priyansh, 24, also credited head coach Ricky Ponting and skipper Shreyas Iyer for keeping their faith in him and always telling him to back his instincts. Just before the fixture against Chennai Super Kings, Priyansh lost his wicket to Jofra Archer against Rajasthan Royals on the first ball of the innings; however, he never lost the backing of Ponting and Iyer.
"Ricky Ponting has given me several inputs about my batting, but right now, I cannot think of one specific input I have tried to add to my gameplay. Maybe I will remember it when I return to the training (laughs)," said Priyansh while replying to a Hindustan Times question.
"My mindset was positive because I didn't think about anything like that when I got out on the first ball. I thought I would play as much as possible with a positive attitude. If I get the ball, I will hit it. Talking about Ricky, sir, he is always positive. So, I talked to him as well, and he told me that there was no problem. It was the first ball, so anyone can get out. And as for the pull shot, I obviously keep talking to him. He keeps telling me all the time that I can do this better than that," said Priyansh.
Priyansh recalled the first time he chatted with current India head coach Gautam Gambhir. During the former India opening batter's last domestic cricket season, the youngster revealed how he landed a gift from Gambhir.
"I have learned a lot from Gautam bhaiya. I went to Ranji's camp for the first time. I was batting in the nets, and he called me and gave me all the new equipment he used to play with. He gave me the whole kit bag and gave it to me the next day," said Priyansh.
How has life changed for Priyansh Arya?
Priyansh became a household name in Delhi last year after he smashed 6 sixes in an over while playing in the Delhi Premier League. He scored 120 runs in one particular knock, smashing 10 boundaries and as many sixes. However, Priyansh is well aware that the IPL will give him national stardom and boost his chances of grabbing plenty of eyeballs.
"I will tell you about the 6 sixes. Earlier, people only knew me in Delhi. And after that, I got a little recognition from everywhere. I mean, everyone congratulated me. So, a lot of change happened after the 6 sixes. And getting out on 0 is not a big deal. It's a part of the game. If I get out on 0 and score 100 runs, it's a part of the game. I didn't think of anything like that. Shreyas told me to play on my instinct. Play on my first thought. That helped me a lot. The more you play on your instinct, the better it will be for you," said Priyansh.
The left-handed batter also said he will always back his instincts and natural gameplay. "I spoke to Ricky, sir. He told me that if I got the same ball in the next match, I would hit it out of the ground. So, I was very confident after hearing that. So, I thought that if I got the first ball, I would hit it."
Priyansh, just like any highly-devoted student, thanked his childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, for helping shape his career. For the uninitiated, Sanjay Bharadwaj, known as 'Guruji', has also tutored the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Nitish Rana and Amit Mishra. "Sanjay sir has obviously played a big role in my life since I was a kid. He tells me what I can do mentally to make my game better. When I was young, Sanjay sir always asked me to watch Gautam Gambhir's batting in the nets."
"He calls me daily. I talk to him every morning. I talk to him before and the day after the match. He is always positive. Before the IPL began, he only asked me to focus on cut and pull shots because obviously, no bowler will let me simply by pitching the ball in my hitting arc," he concluded.
