Priyansh Arya says he wants to learn from Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

New Delhi, August 14, 2026 — Priyansh Arya said he wants to learn from Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He made the remarks on Friday.

India’s T20I opening positions are crowded: Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi currently occupy those roles, while uncapped options such as Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya are also in contention. Just last month, Prabhsimran was an unused member of the Indian contingent that blanked Zimbabwe 3-0 in a T20I series.

Arya, a 24-year-old left-handed opener from Delhi, has emerged over the past two IPL seasons for Punjab Kings. In his debut 2025 season he scored 475 runs at a strike rate of 179.24, and he followed that with a 2026 strike rate of 211.62, a figure second only to Sooryavanshi’s 237.3 among batters with a minimum of 350 runs.

While Priyansh has not yet been picked for the senior India side, he has represented 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," he said on Friday.

On the tour of the Emerald Isle, Arya opened alongside Sooryavanshi and spoke positively about the experience. "It was enjoyable to open with Sooryavanshi. He doesn’t make you feel any pressure about the run rate," he said. Responding to the question of intense competition, he added: "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.

For Priyansh, it is a case of biding time for now. He is currently playing for Outer Delhi Warriors in the Delhi Premier League.