Aryaman Varma: From Delhi to London via Mumbai, 18-year-old England prodigy's dream wicket is Virat Kohli

At 18, Aryaman Varma has the world at his feet.

The young leg-spinner from England has been a net bowler for Delhi Capitals for the last three seasons. He also has a contract with Delhi Capitals' sister franchise, Dubai Capitals, in the ILT20. Varma is being mentored by Kuldeep Yadav. His ambition is to play for England in all three formats and to take the wicket of his childhood hero, Virat Kohli. On Tuesday, the prodigious talent added another feather to his cap: the prestigious Wisden 2025 Schools Cricketer of the Year award.

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By winning this award, Varma, the captain of Eton College, joins the esteemed company of Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler, who were the first and third winners of this title, respectively.

"It still feels a little bit surreal," Varma told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview from London.



Varma narrowly missed out on the title in 2024, finishing in the top-four despite taking 45 wickets at an average of 17. A year later, he enjoyed a record-breaking season, claiming 51 wickets at an impressive average of 12.

"It's a massive deal winning this award," he says. "But the way I found out was kind of interesting. I had just finished a gym session. I checked my email and saw the brilliant news. I checked the email a couple of times just to make sure that I was reading it correctly before I started telling my family," he said with a laugh.

The Dream
Varma feels the award has added to his responsibility and strengthened his obligation to work harder and chase his dream. He is also clear about his aspirations.

"The goal is one day to represent England internationally," he stated. "I'm only 18 years old, so it's still too early to decide exactly where I'm going to go with my future in white-ball cricket or red-ball cricket."

Who's that IPL player?

"I want to play as much cricket as possible. Wherever I get an opportunity, whether it's white ball or red ball, I will try to play as many matches as I can. I'm young," he said.

In his last three years with Delhi Capitals, Varma has spent considerable time with Kuldeep Yadav, who is mentoring the youngster.

"Kuldeep bhai has given me just one piece of advice. He has told me that at my age, I should just play matches. He says the more match experience I have, the better I will become," he shared.




Besides representing England, Varma's other dreams include securing an IPL contract and getting the chance to bowl against his childhood hero, Virat Kohli.

"One goal is also to play in the IPL. Having been a net bowler for so many years, it's amazing to see the quality of cricket being played in this tournament. Playing in the IPL would be absolutely a dream come true," he adds.

When asked who his dream wicket would be, Varma replied, "This might be a very boring answer, but it's Virat Kohli, the king."

"Just thinking about it makes me shiver. But I'm sure if I got him out, there would be tears running down my face and cheek. Virat Kohli is someone my whole family admires. I would even say we worship him. The character he is, the entertainment he provides, and the skill he has – it's never been seen before, and I don't think it ever will be. So yes, to get his wicket one day, maybe while bowling against RCB, would be the biggest dream come true."

The Inspiration
Aryaman's family hails from Delhi. His father, Munish Varma, played badminton for Delhi, which Aryaman said has probably been helpful for his hand-eye coordination. Aryaman’s mother, Ekta Varma, has also been crucial to his success, as she constantly supports and pushes him to improve. Aryaman was born in London but spent his early years in Mumbai, where he and his elder brother, Arnav Varma, fell deeply in love with the sport.

"My grandparents are from Delhi. Cricket is something that is loved in our family. When I shared the news of winning the Wisden award, there were tears in everyone's eyes. My mom had tears of joy, of course. My dad was emotional and was trying to cover up his tears, and my brother was ecstatic," he recounts.

Aryaman credits his cricketing journey to his elder brother, who is four years older than him and was a budding fast bowler before a stress fracture ended his cricketing aspirations.

"My elder brother was a pretty talented cricketer. He unfortunately had a back injury when he was only 16, which stopped his career. He was a very talented fast bowler and would have probably made it," he says.

When asked if he is better than his brother, the teenager quips, "Yeah, maybe. He was very good."

"When he injured his back, it was a massive, terrible moment for my family and for him. So, the obligation and the responsibility fell on me to become a successful professional cricketer."

Tryst with DC, Kuldeep and Warne
Varma, who believes his competitiveness stems from his family roots in Delhi, says, "I think I am a very aggressive leg-spinner. I'm a competitive guy who wants to win. I'm here to take wickets and make an impact on the game."

It is in Delhi, for the past three years, where the youngster has been honing his talent.

"I've been fortunate enough to be a net bowler with Delhi Capitals for three years. Bowling and learning alongside the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel is a phenomenal experience. You grow so much technically, but also mentally. I am very close to Kuldeep. We constantly talk over the phone. He's constantly giving me tips and sharing his mastery. I actually consider him not only a friend but an older brother and a mentor," he says.

Like Kuldeep, Varma too grew up watching videos of the legendary Shane Warne. He was also fortunate enough to receive some tips from the legend himself.

"When I was only 11, I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. I was simply bowling in a training session, and Shane Warne himself happened to turn up where I was training. It was unbelievable to meet the King of Spin in person."

"I actually remember that he taught me a couple of things about bowling a flipper, which I still remember to this day."

"Kuldeep and I always talk about Shane Warne and his impact on the game. I mean, he was the first proper aggressive leg-spinner," he concluded.

Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here