Priyansh Arya rejects being labeled a white-ball specialist: I can play all three formats

Priyansh Arya knows what people see when they watch him bat. The Delhi opener takes on the bowlers, looks for boundaries and rarely shies away from attacking options. His explosive performances for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League made him one of the most respected young power forwards in Indian cricket. But Arya doesn’t want that reputation to define the rest of his career.

His 199 against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy was an opportunity to show why. The 25-year-old, playing only his third first-class match, batted 221 balls, hitting 24 fours and six sixes to come within one run of a double century. He had scored his first first-class hundred but wanted to do something more.

“I consider myself a player of all three formats,” Arya said after his innings.

It was a straightforward statement from a batsman who believes his game has more to offer than his IPL performances might suggest. Arya has built a reputation in white-ball cricket, but his innings against Gujarat showed that he can control his attacking instincts when the situation calls for it without losing the stroke play that has brought him success.

Delhi eventually declared at 648 for six at the Palam B Ground in New Delhi, with captain Ayush Badoni scoring 217. Gujarat replied with 479 in 174.1 overs, with Manan Hingrajia 123 and Hrithik Shokeen taking five wickets for 143 runs. After being asked to continue, Gujarat reached 15 for one in eight overs before the match ended in a draw.

Delhi got three runs to secure the lead in the first innings while Gujarat got one.

But for Arya, the match was about more than the result or the points on offer. His innings gave him a chance to show that the aggressive batsman who impressed in the IPL can also build a sizeable score in the longest format.

WANT TO CHANGE IPL IMAGE

When Punjab Kings bought Arya for Rs 3.80 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 season, they had an opportunity to make their mark on a much bigger stage. He made the most of it, scoring 475 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 179.25. His campaign included a century and two half-centuries, with his 103 off 42 balls against Chennai Super Kings announcing his arrival in emphatic fashion.

Arya followed this up with another productive season in 2026, scoring 364 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 211.63, including three half-centuries. He amassed 839 runs at a combined strike rate of nearly 192 in his first two IPL campaigns.

These numbers explain why he is associated with attacking cue balls. They also help explain why his red-ball credentials haven’t received the same attention.

However, Arya doesn’t believe that perception tells the whole story.

“No sir, that’s exactly what people saw because they saw me playing white-ball cricket. I also played red-ball cricket. I also scored in under-23 and under-19 tournaments. I consider myself a player in all three formats,” he said.

There was no indication that he wanted to deviate from the style that brought him success in the IPL. Instead, Arya argued that attacking cricket and patient batting need not be mutually exclusive.

His innings against Gujarat reflected this understanding. He reached his hundred off 126 balls and then scored another 99 off the next 95 deliveries. He was dismissed by Manan Hingrajia on 77, one run short of his double century.

It was an excruciating way to miss a milestone, but Arya was clear about what the hundred meant to him.

“Obviously it’s very special because it’s my first hundred in this format. I’d like to score more and more for my team and win matches so it’s very special for me,” he said.

Arya also became the first Indian batsman since KL Rahul in 2016 to be dismissed for 199 in red-ball cricket. Rahul scored 199 against England in the Chennai Test.

The missed milestone will remain part of the story, but the innings itself offered a more important thing. Arya has shown that she can spend time in the crease, build innings and still find scoring opportunities freely.

LEARN WHEN TO ATTACK AND WHEN TO WAIT

Arya’s approach against Gujarat was not about abandoning his natural game. He understood that the conditions and the new ball required a different response than what was expected of him in the IPL.

“Early in the morning, on the first day, with the new ball, you have to play the ball as close to the body as possible. When I got into the game, I was still playing my shots, so that benefited me,” he said.

It was a simple explanation, but one that captured the refinement required in red-ball cricket. Encouraged to maximize the powerplay in T20s, a batsman must judge when to retire, defend and wait for scoring opportunities in a first-class match.

Arya said he approached his innings one session at a time rather than thinking too far ahead or getting caught up in the prospect of a big score.

“We play session after session. I talk to the coaches all the time from session to session and playing session after session really helps,” he said.

He added that the morning part was generally the most difficult, while batting could be easier later in the day as the bowlers were tired. Recognizing these changes helped him manage shifts without losing his offensive intent.

His partnership with Badoni was crucial to Delhi’s dominance. The pair added 234 runs for the fourth wicket to put the hosts in a commanding position before Badoni went on to post 217 and Delhi declared at 648 for six.

For Arya, the shifts were also a reminder that his role can change depending on what the team needs. He has always preferred to open but moved to No.4 last season when circumstances dictated a change.

“No sir, I am an opener. Last year both the openers did well and our captain Ayush Badoni went to play for India A, so I got a chance in the middle order. Wherever I get a chance, I prefer to open,” he said.

The explanation offered a glimpse into how Arya felt about his place in the side. He has a preferred position but is ready to adapt when the team requires it.

INDIA EXPERIENCE AND MIND CHANGE

Arya’s recent commitments in India have given him the opportunity to experience cricket at a higher level and spend time with international players and coaches. He spoke warmly about his experiences representing the party.

“When you wear India A clothes, you feel proud and it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

But the change he described over the last couple of years was not limited to the level of cricket he played. Arya said he also had more confidence in his own abilities.

“Mentally, as I told you, I have more confidence in myself that I can do it. Earlier there were a few doubts but now there are none. The more positive thoughts you put in your mind, the more it will help you in cricket,” he said.

It was one of the most revealing moments of the interview. Arya did not elaborate on the doubts he faced earlier in his career but made it clear that he now approaches his cricket with more self-belief.

That confidence also shapes how he thinks about transitioning between formats. Rather than seeing the transition from white-ball to red-ball cricket as a major hurdle, he sees it as an adjustment that comes with confidence in his game and an understanding of what each situation calls for.

“You have to believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, you can play anything. It’s just about switching between the white ball and the red ball and keeping the belief in yourself,” he said.

His 199 against Gujarat was a practical demonstration of this belief. Arya didn’t have to become a different batsman to succeed in the longer format. He had to recognize when to defend, when to wait and when to play his shots.

There is still a long way to go before one innings can resolve questions about his future in red-ball cricket. But for a player who was largely judged by his performances in the IPL, the knock was an important step in his defence.

A WIN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A MILESTONE

The temptation to focus on the missing run is understandable. A double century would have made Arya’s first-class breakthrough even more memorable. Instead, his innings ended on 199, leaving him to reflect on a milestone that was both a success and a near miss.

But when asked about his goals in red-ball cricket, Arya didn’t offer personal run stats or talk about reaching another milestone.

“He’s not running, sir, just for the team to win. That’s the only goal,” he said.

It was consistent with how he spoke throughout the interview. He wants to score more hundreds, believes he can succeed in all three formats and is increasingly confident in his own abilities. But they don’t see personal milestones as the ultimate goal.

His IPL performances have already established him as a batsman capable of changing the game in the matter of overs. The innings against Gujarat showed another side of his game which was built on patience, judgment and the ability to bat for long periods.

Arya is not asking people to forget the power-hitter they saw in the IPL. He wants them to recognize that there is more to his bat than that.

“I consider myself a player of all three formats,” he said.

His maiden first-class hundred is so far the strongest evidence he has offered in support of this belief.

– The end