Ayush Badoni: Meet the IPL newbie who has taken the cricketing world by storm | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Playing their first ever match in the Indian Premier League against Gujarat Titans on Match 28, Lucknow Super Giants found themselves buried under the ground, reeling at 29 for four after a shock top-order collapse. It looked as if Lucknow’s first ever outing in cricket’s biggest extravaganza was going to be something that they would like to quickly forget as Mohammed Shami’s opening burst ripped apart LSG’s star-studded top-order.
But then walked out into the middle the young 22-year-old Ayush Badoni, who not too many people knew much about. Playing his first ever game in the IPL, the new kid on the block began the repair job with Deepak Hooda. Coming in at a precarious situation, battling the nerves in his debut game and under immense pressure being put by the opposition, Badoni fired an unbelievable 41-ball 54 on IPL debut.

(Photo credit: BCCI/IPL)
Stunning the cricketing fraternity, Badoni marked his arrival on the biggest stage and when commentator Harsha Bhogle asked the youngster “where have you been hiding?” during the mid-innings break, Badoni nervously responded “how do I answer that question?”
Badoni, who might still not have gotten completely used to the fact that he is playing in the biggest T20 league in the world, on Thursday, yet again showed nerves of steel in a massive run-chase against Chennai Super Kings, taking his team to their first ever IPL win (scoring 19* off 9 balls) and proving to the world that his first knock against Gujarat was not a fluke.

(Photo credit: BCCI/IPL)
Almost completely ignored by his state of Delhi in domestic cricket, Badoni’s career was nearly ruined but the scouts, think tank and the management of Lucknow Super Giants, including mentor Gautam Gambhir believed in the youngster when no one else did.
The Lucknow franchise might have given India a potential future cricketing star. At least, Badoni is now someone who just cannot be ignored anymore.
It is still early days in the 15th edition of the IPL, but Badoni is currently the fourth highest run-getter in the tournament and looks like he is just warming up and something big from him is around the corner.
Here’s a look at Ayush Badoni’s profile:
Name: Ayush Badoni
Birth date: December 03, 1999
Birth place: Delhi
Age: 22
Batting style: Right handed middle order batsman
Bowling style: Right arm off-break
IPL price tag: Bought by Lucknow Super Giants at his base price of INR 20 lakh
Delhi’s Badoni first began making news when he started smashing bowling attacks in junior level cricket. In 2018, he made it to India’s U-19 team, played a couple of match-winning knocks in the Junior Asia Cup (65 against Afghan U19, 28 against Bangladesh U19 and 52* against Sri Lanka U19) and then almost just disappeared.
Cut to 2021, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Badoni featured in 5 games for Delhi but got the chance to bat only in one match where he scored 8 runs.
But now with a couple of terrific knocks in the IPL, Badoni has certainly shown the world that he has got the potential to make it big.
“Badoni, I’d seen a few videos, when you only get to see the good shots, but the way he’s been batting is phenomenal. Strong, 360-degree player, a great find for India and an asset for white-ball cricket,” his LSG skipper and India vice-captain KL Rahul said after their second match against CSK.

(Photo credit: BCCI/IPL)
Lucknow Super Giants play their next match against Delhi Capitals on April 7 and all eyes will once again be on young Badoni as to what the pocket-sized dynamo produces after a couple of incredible outings in his first two IPL games.