From jungle nets to IPL blitz: PBKS' Priyansh Arya arrives in style

The IPL auction room is often filled with surprises, but for veteran Delhi coach Sanjay Bhardwaj, there was no suspense about Priyansh Arya’s fate. A day before the mega auction, over brunch with Pawan Arya—a government school teacher and Priyansh’s father—Bhardwaj made a confident prediction.

“I told Pawanji, aap ka beta at least Rs 2.70 crore par bikega kal. Baki Ishwar ki marzi (Your son will fetch minimum Rs 2.70 crore and rest is up to the Almighty),” Bhardwaj was quoted as saying in a PTI report.

Priyansh was eventually snapped up for Rs 3.8 crore by Punjab Kings.

Just weeks later, on a packed IPL night, the 24-year-old smashed a blistering 39-ball century against Chennai Super Kings, silencing doubters and fulfilling his coach’s vision in emphatic fashion. Priyansh's century eventually powered PBKS to a 18-run win over CSK.

A Journey Rooted in Discipline and Sacrifice

Priyansh’s story didn’t start in stadiums but on the modest grounds of Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy in Delhi, where he first trained under Bhardwaj at the age of 10. Even as he rose through the ranks, Bhardwaj noted that fame and fortune hadn’t changed him.

“He hasn’t changed since his father brought him to me as a 10-year-old. He is 24 now but remains same,” Bhardwaj said.

“When he hit six sixes for South Delhi Supetstars in Delhi Premier League last year, he was able to maintain composure. Even after there was bidding war at IPL auctions, he quietly practised.”

Much of that humility, Bhardwaj believes, comes from his upbringing.

“His parents, both government school teachers, have inculcated good values in him,” he said.

A Bhopal Jungle, a Dream, and a Determined Coach

In the lead-up to IPL 2025, Priyansh trained at a unique location—Bhardwaj’s residential academy nestled near the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary outside Bhopal.

“Priyansh trained over there before IPL and worked on his game, range hitting before he joined Punjab Kings camp,” Bhardwaj explained.

His road to competitive cricket, however, was paved with struggle. Bhardwaj recounted the time he paid a hefty club entry fee out of pocket to ensure Priyansh could be seen by selectors at the U19 level.

“The tournament is organized by a former India player. Priyansh was 16 back then. Rs 50,000 entry fee for a club like ours is a lot of money. But glad I paid it and Priyansh scored 93 and Gursharan Singh, then in charge of U19, put him in Cooch Behar squad and he scored nearly 400 runs.”

Soon after, Priyansh earned an India U19 cap and played in a tri-series against South Africa's junior team.

Raw Talent That Instantly Stood Out

Priyansh’s clean, no-frills power-hitting made an instant impact on the Punjab Kings setup, where even a short net session was enough to lock his name into the playing XI.

“He played about eight balls in a practice game before the IPL. That was enough for us to say that he has to play the first game,” assistant coach Brad Haddin told the host broadcaster.

His fearless batting, often without extravagant footwork, has become his trademark—tailor-made for the T20 format.

A Coach’s Dream: To See Him in India Whites

Even with the IPL fireworks, Bhardwaj believes this is only the beginning.

“Abhi uss pe bahot kaam baaki hai (He is a work in progress). We will work at my academy in Bhopal after IPL so that he can become a Delhi regular in Ranji Trophy,” he said.

For Bhardwaj, though, it wasn’t just the runs or the headlines that left him emotional. It was a quiet gesture from his student before the CSK match.

“I normally never request for passes but there was someone I couldn’t turn down and I sent him a request for a couple of tickets. He texted me photo of the envelope and my acquaintances could watch the match,” he said, smiling.