Priyansh Arya: ‘My goal is to win matches for my country’

Few qualities have defined Priyansh Arya’s rise over the last two seasons more than consistency.

Retained by Punjab Kings after a formidable IPL campaign last year — he made 475 runs at 179.25 — Arya began the 2026 season in stunning fashion, smashing 283 runs in his first seven innings at a staggering strike rate of 250.44. Although his returns dipped slightly in the second half of the tournament, the left-hander had already established himself as one of the competition’s most fearless PowerPlay batters.

Now representing India-A in the Tri-Nation Series in Sri Lanka, Arya is showing that his game extends well beyond the T20 template. His gritty 58 against Afghanistan-A helped India-A book a place in the final, underlining his ability to adapt beyond the shortest format.

For Arya, the foundation of that growth is simple.

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“The biggest thing I have learned is that I need to keep getting better day by day. That’s what’s best for my cricket,” Arya told Sportstar on Friday.

“You can’t stick to just one thing, and honestly, the format change doesn’t make a huge difference.”

The biggest adjustment, he explained, is the luxury of time that comes with longer formats. “The only difference is that in a longer format you can bat for a longer period, which gives you more opportunities to score runs.”

Arya understands the contrasting demands of 20-over and 50-over cricket. Rather than treating them as entirely different formats, he sees them as variations of the same game.

“As a batter, it gives you clarity about what you need to do. In T20 cricket, winning the Powerplay is very important because there are only 20 overs. In one-day cricket, it’s not as important because it’s a 50-over game. You have more time, and you can accelerate or make up runs at any stage, so you can afford to take your time,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s conditions have reinforced the importance of accumulation. With bigger grounds and often slower surfaces, Arya has learned the value of rotating the strike over constant aggression.

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“The biggest lesson here has been to score as many runs as possible through singles and doubles,” he said. “The grounds are bigger and there are more gaps, so you can score risk-free runs by keeping the ball along the ground…”

Unlike many modern cricketers who rely on journals or elaborate mental routines, Arya prefers simplicity.

“I don’t do anything like that. I keep things simple. When I go out to bat, I assess the wicket and figure out which shots I can play on that surface. That’s what I focus on.”

His biggest lesson has been learning to move on, regardless of whether the previous outing brought success or failure.

“My biggest learning is that no matter how well you perform, the sooner you can put it behind you and focus on the next match, the better it is for you,” he said.

Working with Ricky Ponting and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has further shaped his outlook.

“The biggest thing I learned from both of them is to stay positive in every situation. I’ve never heard them speak negatively. The more positive you are and the more positively you talk to yourself, the more positive your approach to the game becomes. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve taken from them.”

Despite his rapid rise, Arya’s long-term objective remains straightforward.

“My goal is to win matches for my country,” he said.

Published on Jun 19, 2026