IPL 2022: Who is ‘360-degree’ player Ayush Badoni?

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a platform where unknown players come to the limelight in a matter of few matches. The latest to emerge from this cash-rich Twenty20 tournament is Ayush Badoni.

In just two matches in the ongoing IPL 2022, Badoni, who was coached by the late Tarak Sinha, has made headlines. The right-handed batsman, who was bought in the players’ auction for his base price of Rs 20 lakh by debutant Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), has earned the nickname “Baby AB”, drawing comparisons with the South African legend AB de Villiers.

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The “Baby AB” moniker was revealed by Lucknow captain and India star batsman KL Rahul. He spoke highly of the Delhi lad after he hit an impressive half century on IPL debut against Gujarat Titans at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28. However, his team lost.

Three days later, at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, 22-year-old Badoni followed his 54 off 41 with an unbeaten 19 from just nine balls with two sixes. These 19 runs came under pressure when Lucknow was chasing 211 against four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

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When he joined Evin Lewis in the middle, Lucknow needed 40 to win off 14 balls. He remained calm in that situation and hit a six over square leg, down on one knee, off Shivam Dube, in the 19th over. This shot hit a female spectator but the way he deposited the ball into the stands, got social media talking. That shot had shades of de Villiers. He and Lewis saw the team home in the final over.

What a shot by Ayush Badoni, superb! pic.twitter.com/cVEEZykE2m

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2022

‘360-degree player’

His range of shots – particularly the three sixes off Gujarat skipper Hardik Pandya, leg-spinner Rashid Khan and fast bowler Lockie Ferguson in his maiden IPL contest, had earned him high praise.

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After the match against Chennai, Rahul described Badoni as a “360-degree player” and a great find for India.

“And 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,” Rahul said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Ayush Badoni’s six hit a fan in the stadium on head. pic.twitter.com/5OeOzgznGr

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 31, 2022

At the end of the previous match too, Rahul had said the same. “He is the baby AB for us. From the first day he was batting, it was unbelievable. He can hit the ball 360 degrees.”

Badoni’s journey to IPL was filled with struggles. His talent would not have been on display in the ongoing IPL if not for the backing of former India batsman Gautam Gambhir, who is now the mentor of Lucknow.

Despite doing well, Delhi selectors ignored Badoni, first for the state Under-16 team, and later Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments. He had hit three hundreds in the Under-14 matches but did not find his name in the Delhi U-16 side which had made him angry, according to his childhood coach Balraj Kumar.

When Badoni impressed Dravid

Badoni had also impressed while playing for India Under-19 which prompted then coach of the side Rahul Dravid asking Atul Wassan, the chairman of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) to take care of the youngster. But Wassan’s suggestion was ignored by the Delhi selectors.

“They ignored my suggestion. They, instead, picked Unmukt Chand. I walked out of the meeting. As a CAC chairman, I could interfere but I chose not to, in the selectors’ jurisdiction,” Wassan, the former India paceman told Cricbuzz.

In 2018, he had smashed 185 in U-19 Youth Test against Sri Lanka. The same year, in the U-19 Asia Cup final, he hit a 28-ball 50 not out as India won the title against Sri Lanka in Dhaka.

However, chances did not come his way and only got to make his Delhi debut in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 in January 2021, where he got to bat in one of the five games he featured in and scored just eight runs.

After that, he did not get a chance to represent Delhi. He was only seen in IPL 2022 due to Gambhir. He was also in previous IPL auctions but none picked him.

Recalling the snub in IPL auctions, he said, “I didn’t have any idea, because my name had been coming up (in the auctions) for three years and I was unsold. So this time when my name cropped up, my heartbeat was fast. I didn’t know, I had given trials of two, three teams, it had been happening since two-three years, I was not getting picked.

“I am grateful as Lucknow picked me, and now I need to perform and make my team win, I will try my best. Yes, there has been little struggle for three years, I did not get a chance from Delhi, because of which I enhanced my game, have tried new shots, learnt new shots and that has helped me in T20s.”

Gambhir’s advice

Badoni explained how Gambhir has supported him. “When I got selected for Lucknow, I scored 50-plus in both the practice matches, and that pleased Gautam Bhaiya, and coaches Vijay Sir (Vijay Dahiya) and Andy Flower and so they decided to send me ahead of Krunal Pandya and so I batted ahead of him. Gautam Bhaiya has backed me a lot and he just advised me one thing, to play my natural game and play the ball, not the bowler,” he said.

“So that gave me a lot of confidence. He asked me to play my natural game while saying that the senior players would see the (match) situation, and because of which, I could play freely,” he added.

How calm was Ayush badoni?

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 31, 2022

Gambhir said Badoni is talented but it was too early to talk much as one innings cannot make a player a “superstar”.

“Too early to talk too much about him because one innings doesn’t make you a superstar. Yes, he’s got loads of talent and that’s why he’s sitting in this dressing room. We did identify his talent. We’ve seen him for a long time as he comes from Delhi. The most important thing for him is to stay balanced and for us also to keep him balanced,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

The transition phase from junior to senior level is the most critical period in a cricketers career. So many talented guys have lost out due to not getting the breaks at the right time.#IPL provides that to some guys if only serendipitously. Badoni is the latest in a long list.

— Woorkeri Raman (@wvraman) April 1, 2022