New Delhi [India]: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded Priyansh Arya for his impressive Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 debut performance against Gujarat Titans (GT). Speaking on Jio Hotstar, Chopra admitted he was initially skeptical about Arya’s ability to perform on the big stage but was ultimately won over by the young batter’s confidence and technique.
“To be honest, I was a little circumspect at first. After all, he is an uncapped Indian player. Yes, he performed well in the Delhi Premier League, but the IPL is a completely different challenge. Playing in the world’s biggest stadium and facing a baptism by fire against bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada is no easy task—it’s a batter’s nightmare, in a sense. But Priyansh was outstanding. He stays inside the line quite a bit, allowing him access to the offside. The one stroke that truly stood out for me was his straight drive,” Chopra said while analyzing the match on Match Center Live on Jio Hotstar.
Priyansh Arya’s Impressive Debut Performance
Punjab Kings (PBKS) handed the 24-year-old left-handed opening batsman his IPL debut in their season opener against GT. Arya made an immediate impact, smashing 47 runs off just 23 balls, setting up a strong start for PBKS.
The uncapped star was bought by PBKS for INR 3.8 crore at the IPL auction, following impressive performances in domestic cricket. In his first IPL appearance, he displayed his stroke-making prowess early on, hitting a six and a four off consecutive deliveries in the second over bowled by Mohammed Siraj.
PBKS Secures Thrilling 11-Run Victory Over GT
In a high-scoring IPL 2025 match, PBKS managed to defend their total of 243/5, restricting Gujarat Titans to 232/5 and sealing an exciting 11-run win on Tuesday.
Shreyas Iyer played a captain’s knock, scoring a match-winning unbeaten 97 off just 42 balls, steering PBKS to a commanding total.
Shashank Singh also made a key contribution, blasting 44 runs off just 16 balls, aggressively taking on the GT bowling attack. The dynamic duo of Shreyas and Shashank accumulated 77 runs in the last four overs, putting GT under immense pressure in their home ground.
With this victory, PBKS made a strong statement in IPL 2025, with Priyansh Arya’s debut performance being one of the major talking points from the game.