IPL 2025: Aakash Chopra left in awe of debutant Priyansh Arya’s fearless knock against world-class bowlers

The last match of the IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) was another high-scoring game, with over 400 runs scored at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where the Punjab Kings (PBKS) emerged victorious. One of the star performers for the Kings was Priyansh Arya, who was also praised by former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra for his performance.

The left-handed batter impressed the fans on his debut, scoring 47 runs off just 22 deliveries. Arya came into the spotlight after amassing runs in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) and played some exceptional shots against Gujarat Titans (GT), tackling experienced bowlers like Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada. Former KKR opener Chopra was equally impressed with Priyansh’s innings.

In specific, Aakash Chopra admired Priyansh Arya's technique while facing the fiery pacers of GT on his debut. Chopra also mentioned that he was slightly circumspect about the franchise’s decision to play him in the first game of PBKS’ campaign.

“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 on JioHotstar.

Also Read- IPL 2025: Aakash Chopra heaps praise on Shreyas Iyer for his aggressive knock against Gujarat Titans

With Shubman, you almost expect him to perform: Chopra

Apart from Arya, Aakash Chopra also praised Shubman Gill, who has been criticised for the way he was dismissed by Glenn Maxwell but was still backed by the commentator. Chopra stated that Gill looked good at the crease until he was dismissed for 33 and believes he will be one of the contenders for the Orange Cap.

“With Shubman, you almost expect him to perform well nine out of ten times, especially in Ahmedabad. There was one over where he completely took down Azmatullah Omarzai and then Marco Jansen. As for his dismissal off Glenn Maxwell, you can't be too critical," the 47-year-old added.

When chasing 240+, there’s only one way to play—you keep going, and you don’t stop. High-risk cricket comes with the consequence that, sometimes, you’ll get out. But while he was at the crease, he looked very good. This is a promising sign for the Gujarat Titans. Last season was a middling one for him, but this year, I expect him to be a strong contender for the Orange Cap,” Chopra concluded.