Look to learn from Abhishek and Sooryavanshi: Priyansh

For India’s opening slots in T20Is, there is an abundance of belligerence to choose from. Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are the incumbents by virtue of their recent exploits, but the uncapped Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya are just as capable of staking a claim.

Just last month, Prabhsimran was an unused member of the Indian contingent that blanked Zimbabwe 3-0 in a T20I series. For Priyansh, it is a case of biding time for now.

The 24-year-old left-handed opener from Delhi has been in swashbuckling form over the past two IPL seasons with Punjab Kings. After carting 475 runs at a strike rate of 179.24 in his debut campaign in 2025, he upped the ante even further in 2026. A strike rate of 211.62 was second only to Sooryavanshi’s 237.3 among batters with a minimum of 350 runs.

While Priyansh hasn’t yet been called up to the senior side, he has donned the blue shade for India-A, most recently in a tri-series involving host Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in June.

“At India-A, we are representing our country. The bowlers we face are the same (as the IPL). But mentally, there is a realisation that this is for the country. It feels enjoyable to face that pressure. Pressure is a privilege,” Priyansh, who is currently playing for Outer Delhi Warriors in the Delhi Premier League, said on Friday.

During the tour of the Emerald Isle, Priyansh was privy to Sooryavanshi’s precocious skill from up close. “It was enjoyable to open with Sooryavanshi. He doesn’t make you feel any pressure about the run rate,” he said.

Doesn’t the intense competition unnerve Priyansh? “I’m chill about the competition. The main focus is on my performance. I learn from Abhishek and Sooryavanshi. I like their style very much. I do look at what they are doing, and try to add that to my game,” was his response.