Priyansh Arya’s Blazing Century Leaves CSK Stunned, Coach Reveals Heartwarming Post-Match Call

Priyansh Arya, 24, announced his arrival on the big stage with a blistering 103 off just 42 balls against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025 at Mullanpur on Tuesday. The left-hander’s audacious innings, featuring 7 fours and 9 sixes at a strike rate of 245.24, was the fastest century by an uncapped player in IPL history and the fifth-fastest overall. It was also the quickest ton ever scored against CSK.

Despite Punjab Kings losing wickets at the other end, Priyansh kept going, single-handedly taking them from 83/5 to a daunting 219/6. His performance drew praise from fans and stars alike—India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav shared Priyansh’s photo on Instagram with the caption, “What a knock. Total entertainment.”

A Star Spotted Early

Assistant coach Brad Haddin revealed that Priyansh’s talent was evident even before the season started. “He played just eight balls in a practice game, and that was enough for us to know he had to be in the XI,” said Haddin.

The Call to ‘Guruji’

After the match, Priyansh called his longtime coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj—known as Guruji in Delhi cricket circles—at 7:30 in the morning. “He said, ‘Namaskar sir… theek tha?’ I asked him what happened yesterday, and he said, ‘It was nothing, sir. God did it all, not me,’” Bharadwaj shared with a laugh. “He’s always been grounded and respectful.”

Bharadwaj, who has coached stars like Gautam Gambhir, Nitish Rana, and Amit Mishra, added, “He slept around 2-3 AM. That’s just how he is—restless after big games but always humble.”

A Natural Striker of the Ball

Hailing from Ashok Vihar in Delhi, Priyansh is the son of a government school teacher. He first made national headlines in the Delhi Premier League by smashing six sixes in an over while scoring 120 off just 49 balls.

Ahead of IPL 2025, he trained at Bharadwaj’s residential academy in Bhopal, focusing on cut and pull shots to prepare for high-speed bowlers. “He was being considered as an opener, so he had to sharpen those strokes. Big-hitting comes naturally to him,” said Bharadwaj.

Backed by Iyer and Ponting

After the match, Priyansh revealed that it was Nehal Wadhera who passed on a message from the dugout to trust his instincts. “I was trying to curb my natural game, but they told me to just go with it,” said Priyansh.

He also credited Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting for their unwavering support. “They’ve told him to back himself, to play on instinct, and that he doesn’t need any coaching,” his coach added.