"Can't wait to meet Ricky Ponting and ask him about the pull shot": Priyansh Arya

Priyansh Arya (Pic: X/@PunjabKingsIPL)

When Priyansh Arya smashed 6 sixes in an over last year, he mainly targeted the straight boundary. But when he joins the Punjab Kings (PBKS) camp, he is keen to perfect his pull shot with the help of head coach Ricky Ponting, who dominated the stroke in his playing days.

The 6 sixes in Manan Bhardwaj's single over in the Delhi Premier League helped Priyansh Arya gain the spotlight. With this, he was also able to get a life-changing bid of Rs. 3.8 crore from Punjab Kings.

Priyansh Arya also smashed a stunning century against Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) days before the high-profile event in Saudi Arabia.

Having been part of Punjab Kings' first pre-season camp in Mumbai last week, Priyansh Arya has already got the taste of the higher level and says he is bound to become a better player after his maiden season in the IPL, which begins on March 21.

"Life has not changed much since the auction. Yes, there is more interest from people and my expectations from myself have increased. The pre-season camp gave me a fair idea where I need to be come the IPL as I got to do things I have never done in training before."

Arya got to chat with his IPL skipper Shreyas Iyer briefly during the Mumbai camp and apart from him, he is equally excited about spending time with Ricky Ponting.

"I have not had the chance to speak to Ricky sir. But when I get to meet him, the first thing I want to ask him is about the pull shot," he said referring to one of the best exponents of the pull shot.

"I am also really excited about spending time with Iyer. I love the attitude of Iyer and Ricky sir, both on and off the field. I would also like to ask them about their mindset in highs and lows.

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"Just by interacting with the best you can learn a lot, I have already experienced it (in the camp)," said Arya, whose parents teach in a government school in the national capital.

The IPL is still some time away and if he does get to open alongside Prabhsimran Singh, there will be immense pressure and scrutiny. Will his price tag also play on his mind?

"I am not thinking on those lines. For me it is just about learning from the best minds in the game." And what does he plan to do with the money?

"That (is something) my parents will decide," pat came the response from Arya.

Growing up, Priyansh Arya has always drawn inspiration from former Team India cricketer Gautam Gambhir. Arya loves Gambhir's play against spin and he too has gone on to become a decent batter against the turning ball. No wonder those six-sixes came off a spinner.

Besides Gambhir, Arya also draws inspiration from Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara.

"Right from the beginning, I like to play down the ground. That is what I was thinking at that time (when he hit six sixes). I have followed Gautam bhaiya a lot. I loved how he used to play spin and that is what I tried to pick from him.

"Among overseas players, I like Kumar Sangakkara. I love his cover drive a lot though personally I like pull shot the most."

The moment when his name came under the hammer will remain fresh in Arya's memory forever.

"We were playing the domestic T20 (SMAT) and I was sitting in the hotel with my teammates. I could not express myself after Punjab made that winning bid.

"I did not know what do. My phone stopped working. I would have been happy at just being picked but to get this bid made me feel really good," Arya recollected.

Arya made his T20 debut for Delhi in 2023 and List A in 2021, long before he achieved the memorable feat in the DPL last year. The southpaw looked back at his journey thus far.

"There were challenges. The year I made my debut I got to play only two games and was on the bench the rest of time. The year after I was dropped from the senior team. When I got the DPL stage, I told myself I have to be the best batter in the competition and that happened."

He is yet to play first-class cricket and that is his next target. However, the ultimate aim is to play Test cricket.

(With PTI Inputs)