Ayush Badoni - Lucknow Supergiants 2023

Ayush Badoni - Little AB - Lucknow Supergiants 2023

NAME

Ayush Badoni

BORN

December 03, 1999, Delhi

AGE

22y 129d

BATTING STYLE

Right hand Bat

BOWLING STYLE

Right arm Offbreak

PLAYING ROLE

Batter

Lewis appreciates Badoni after brilliant display of batting

"You don't take good care of the talent I spot." Rahul Dravid once joked with Atul Wassan. "Look after these boys." Dravid, then India Under-19 coach, gave Wassan a list of three players. One of them was Ayush Badoni, a star performer for Lucknow Super Giants. Wassan took those words seriously and in one (DDCA) selection meeting in 2020, he suggested that the committee should have a serious look at Badoni.

Deepak Hooda appreciates Ayush Badoni during match

The 18-year old from Delhi, Ayush is a versatile cricketer. Bowls off-spin, a useful lower order batsman and a live wire in the field, all in all he's a complete package. He made waves recently for his exploits with the bat and ball against Sri Lankan U-19s.

In the first 4-day game, Ayush spun a web around the Sri Lankan batsmen with an extraordinary spell of 9.3-2-24-4. He then reciprocated with the bat - bludgeoning 185 runs off 202 balls walking in at No.7. 

Ayush Badoni after getting out

In February, he was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants in the auction for the 2022 Indian Premier League tournament.

When Ayush Badoni, 22, shuffled across and lapped Hardik to boundary, his childhood coach laughed at his home in Punjab.

Balraj had just told his disbelieving daughter to watch out for such a shot. “He used to play that shot when he was 9 years old!” laughs Ballu sir, minutes after Ayush’s impressive IPL debut where he stunned Gujarat with an assured game-turning fifty.

Ayush Badoni - Man of the Match awards in U19

Badoni owes the opportunity to Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of Super Giants, who bought him at the February auction at the base price of Rs 20 lakh. He proved he is much more valuable a cricketer than the price would suggest. 

I did not get too many chances for Delhi. Gautam bhaiya, backed me a lot. He asked him to play my natural game. He assured me that I will not just get one-odd game but will have sufficient opportunities to prove myself. His advice helped me place my natural game," Badoni shares after a night to remember.

 Ayush holds his nerves against Delhi Capitals - IPL 2022