‘Formats don’t make a huge difference’

Consistency has defined Priyansh Arya’s rise over the last couple of years.

After being retained by Punjab Kings following a strong IPL campaign last year, Priyansh began the 2026 season in stunning fashion, smashing 283 runs in his first seven innings at a strike rate of 250.44. Though his returns dipped later, the left-hander had already established himself as one of the tournament’s most dangerous PowerPlay batters.

Now, with India-A in Sri Lanka for the tri-nation series, Arya is showing that his game extends beyond the T20 template. His gritty 58 against Afghanistan-A helped India-A seal a place in the final, underlining an adaptability that could serve him well at higher levels.

For Priyansh, growth comes down to a simple principle. “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,” he told The Hindu.

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

The biggest adjustment, he believes, is the extra time available in 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.”

Priyansh believes the difference between T20 and one-day cricket is largely about managing tempo. “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.”

Sri Lanka’s conditions have offered another lesson.

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

Working with Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer at Punjab Kings has reinforced the importance of positivity, and as his stock continues to rise, Priyansh’s ambition remains straightforward: “My goal is to win matches for the country.”

Everything else, it seems, is secondary.