Around 7am on Wednesday morning, Punjab Kings (PBKS) opener Priyansh Arya called up his childhood coach Sanjay Bharadwaj, hoping for compliments for his audacious 39-ball century against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). However, he was in for a surprise as the coach stuck to his usual self.
Also See:
GT vs RR Live Score, IPL 2025"He asked me, 'Sir,
theek tha? (Was it good?)' I shouted back and asked, '
kya theek tha? (What was good?), you have done well in one match, don't get carried away,'" says Bharadwaj.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The conversation didn't stop there but became a one-way street as Priyansh could only respond with just "yes sir", "no sir" for the next ten minutes. Bharadwaj, one of the doyens of the domestic circuit who has shaped careers of Gautam Gambhir, Amit Mishra, Joginder Sharma, Nitish Rana and Unmukt Chand, revealed the message he gave to his ward after the maiden IPL hundred.
"I told him this morning, '
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 labourer, 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),'" says Bharadwaj.
Fireworks were on display at the New PCA Cricket Stadium on Tuesday as the southpaw smashed nine sixes and hit seven boundaries during his 42-ball 103. For those who have followed his career from age-group days in Delhi, the approach isn't a surprise as that's the only way he knows to bat. The coach aptly sums it up as "see the ball, hit the ball".
"It's just 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," says Bharadwaj on Priyansh's approach.
The GG touch!Growing up, Arya was fortunate to see current India head coach and former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir train from close quarters at his academy. The youngster had once revealed how he never got the guts to speak to his hero but remained around him, watched his batting in the nets and was even part of the Delhi Ranji Trophy probables during Gambhir's last season.
Priyansh's father, Pawan Arya, a school teacher at Delhi’s Government Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Lancer Road, near Vishwavidyalaya metro station, explained how Gambhir's mentorship has helped his son grow.
"Gautam has backed him since he scored 271 runs in an U-19 match. He has guided him in the last six-seven years. He has asked him to play as much as he can. He insisted he play in the Delhi League and the Hot Weather Tournament. It has helped Priyansh," says Pawan Arya.
Bharadwaj further explained what impressed Gambhir the most about Priyansh Arya. "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 says.
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
Sanjay Bhardwaj, coach
Gambhir is big on attitude and intent, and that's the prime reason why the likes of Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy were fast-tracked into the Indian set-up and went on to make their Test debuts during the tour Down Under.
Meanwhile, at the Arya's in Ashok Vihar, New Delhi, Pawan had to take a day off from work as he was busy attending guests. The plan for remainder of the week is simple - sit at 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," says Pawan with a laugh.
Priyansh's dream is to play for India. This is where his father, his coach, and his mentor wants to see him. It's a long road but the youngster is moving in the right direction, and has an able support system, led by a hard taskmaster coach. It's just the start of runs and tons for the promising left-hander, and certainly not the end of Bharadwaj's epic one-liners.
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