At the break of dawn on Wednesday, Punjab Kings (PBKS) opener Priyansh Arya dialed his childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj, eager for praise after his breathtaking 39-ball century against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Instead, he was met with the coach’s characteristic sternness.
‘He asked me, ‘Sir, theek tha? (Was it good?)’ I shouted back, ‘kya theek tha? (What was good?), you’ve done well in one match, don’t get carried away,” Bharadwaj recounted. The conversation turned into a monologue, with Priyansh responding with mere ‘yes sir’, ‘no sir’ for the next ten minutes. Bharadwaj, a stalwart in the domestic cricket circuit, has been instrumental in shaping the careers of cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma, Nitish Rana, and Unmukt Chand.
Reflecting on the morning’s conversation, Bharadwaj shared the profound advice he imparted to his prodigy after his maiden IPL hundred: ‘Priyansh, agar tu sirf haath se khelega fir tu mazdoor rahega, agar tu haath aur dimaag se khelega fir toh ek kaarigar banega, aur jab tu haath aur dimaag ke saath saath jigre ke saath khelega tab tu asli kalakaar banega (Priyansh, if you play only with your hands, you will remain a laborer, like any normal cricketer. If you use your brain and hands, you will become an artisan, and the day you play with heart, using both your brain and hands, you will become a true artist).’
The New PCA Cricket Stadium witnessed a spectacle on Tuesday as the left-handed batsman unleashed a barrage of nine sixes and seven boundaries during his explosive 42-ball 103. For those who have tracked his journey from the age-group cricket in Delhi, his aggressive style is no surprise. Bharadwaj succinctly describes his approach as ‘see the ball, hit the ball’. ‘If you give him any width, he will punish you. Only Khaleel (Ahmed) was getting some help from the surface, but he wasn’t able to control it, and Priyansh made the most of it,’ Bharadwaj explained.
The GG Touch
Growing up, Arya had the privilege of observing current India head coach and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir train at his academy. Though he never mustered the courage to speak to his idol, Arya absorbed Gambhir’s techniques by watching him bat in the nets and being part of the Delhi Ranji Trophy probables during Gambhir’s final season.
Priyansh’s father, Pawan Arya, a school teacher at Delhi’s Government Sarvodaya Vidyalaya near Vishwavidyalaya metro station, highlighted how Gambhir’s mentorship has been pivotal in his son’s development. ‘Gautam has backed him since he scored 271 runs in an U-19 match. He has guided him over the last six-seven years, encouraging him to play as much as possible in the Delhi League and the Hot Weather Tournament. It has been instrumental for Priyansh,’ Pawan Arya stated.
Bharadwaj further elaborated on what impressed Gambhir about Priyansh. ‘Gambhir is sold on a player if he has an attitude. He doesn’t believe in talent alone. He sees the intent. Even in Delhi cricket, over the years, he has backed Unmukt Chand, Navdeep Saini, Ayush Badoni, and Nitish Rana,’ he added. Gambhir’s emphasis on attitude and intent has been a key factor in fast-tracking players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy into the Indian setup, leading to their Test debuts during the tour of Australia.
Back at the Arya residence in Ashok Vihar, New Delhi, Pawan took a day off to entertain guests celebrating his son’s achievement. The plan for the rest of the week is simple – to stay home and watch the IPL. ‘I was so excited to see him play live in the IPL for the first time. Against Rajasthan Royals, I went to Chandigarh to watch him play, and he got out on the first ball for a duck. Yesterday, I was watching the match at home, and he scored a century. I guess I am the bad luck. Now I have decided I will never go and watch his games live,’ Pawan said with a laugh.
Priyansh’s ultimate dream is to represent India, a goal shared by his father, coach, and mentor. Though the road ahead is long, the young left-hander is on the right path, supported by a robust system led by the hard taskmaster, Sanjay Bharadwaj. This is just the beginning of what promises to be a prolific run-scoring career for Priyansh Arya, accompanied by Bharadwaj’s memorable one-liners.