Delhi cricketer Ayush Badoni has expressed his gratitude after receiving his first India call-up, crediting his decision to focus on bowling over the last few years for turning him into a true all-rounder. The 26-year-old has been drafted into India’s ODI squad for the ongoing three-match series against New Zealand after Washington Sundar was ruled out due to injury after the first ODI.
With the series level at 1-1, the two teams will meet in the decider at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday. Even though Badoni missed out on a place in the playing eleven in the second ODI that India lost, he still hopes to get an opportunity, especially given his impressive recent form.
Speaking to the BCCI, Badoni opened up about his emotions on learning about his national call-up. He revealed that he was captaining Delhi ahead of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Vidarbha when he first sensed the possibility of being selected.
“I was with the Delhi team, I was the captain there and our match the next day was the quarter-final against Vidarbha. That’s when I came to know about it. Priyansh was my roommate, so I told him it can happen and I’ll go, so maybe you’ll be the captain,” Badoni said of his challenge in a video shared by bcci.tv. Badoni added that received an official invitation very late at night and the next morning he shared the news with his friends and family.
Badoni also spoke about his experiences after joining the Indian camp after his first call-up. When asked who he informed from family and friends, the 26-year-old revealed that the confirmation came late at night.
“They called me late at night so I couldn’t tell them. It was announced in the morning, that’s when they got to know and they were also very happy and proud. All the coaches and players were very welcoming and I liked it a lot. I played with most of them and against them, so it was nice to meet them all again,” said Badoni.
The Delhi cricketer further explained how his journey from a specialist batsman to an all-rounder played a key role in earning him an invitation to India. He revealed that he started bowling seriously two years ago.
“The preparation was very clear. I used to bat earlier but since last two years I have focused a lot on my bowling. I always feel that I can take wickets and contribute to the team with my bowling. So I got the advantage of being an all-rounder. I batted a lot for Delhi, took wickets and benefited from it,” he added.
Talking about sharing the dressing room with senior players, Badoni said that he has played with or against many of them in domestic and franchise cricket and is constantly trying to learn from their experiences.
“A lot of seniors in our team are legends in a way, so I try to learn from them when I’m batting or bowling. I feel it improves my game and I try to learn as much as possible. There are a lot of players that I hang out with and have a good time. I know Harshit because he plays for Delhi. I had a lot of fun with Arshdeep and Shrey,” concluded Badoni and Shrey with them a lot of fun.
Whether Badoni makes the playing XI remains to be seen. However, with Washington Sundar ruled out, the Delhi all-rounder looks the most likely replacement and could be in line to make his debut in the third ODI scheduled for January 18.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
January 18, 2026