IPL 2022: LSG's Ayush Badoni grateful to mentor Gambhir for backing him throughout

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) young batter Ayush Badoni, who smashed a quick-fire 54 against Gujarat Titans on Monday, praised his team mentor Gautam Gambhir for backing him in his initial days.

Gritty knocks from Deepak Hooda and Ayush Badoni guided the Lucknow franchise to 158/6 in 20 overs. However, Mohammed Shami's three wickets and a batting blitz by Rahul Tewatia helped Gujarat Titans begin their IPL journey with a thrilling win at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

Also read: IPL 2022, GT vs LSG: All-round Gujarat scripts win over Lucknow on debut; fans go wild

"Gautam Bhaiya backed me a lot. He told me to play just my natural game. He told me you wouldn't get the one-odd match, but you will get a good run. He also told me, 'you don't need to play according to the situation. There are senior players to do that. You show us your natural game'," said Badoni in a post-match press conference.

After getting unsold for three consecutive years, Badoni was picked by the Lucknow franchise during the IPL 2022 mega auction held in Bengaluru last month.

"I have been in the auction for three years and have gone unsold. I have been to trials for two to three teams, but nobody eventually picked me up at the auction. So, I am grateful to Lucknow for picking me," said Badoni.

"The last three years have been a bit of a struggle. I didn't get much of a chance with Delhi either. I played only one season and got to bat only once. For that, I have enhanced my game. I have added more shots, which has helped me a lot," he added.

Also read: IPL 2022, GT vs LSG: Ayush Badoni slams half-century on debut; here's more about him

In the clash against Gujarat Titans, Badoni was sent to bat ahead of Krunal Pandya, and he proved his worth by playing a great inning.

"In the practice matches for Lucknow, I scored the fifties in both the games. Gautam Bhaiya liked that, and the other coaches were impressed too. So they believed I could bat ahead of Krunal," said the batter.