Ayush Pandey, Chhattisgarh’s promising cricketer, truly had a standout domestic season last year. He was one of the top run-scorers in the Ranji Trophy, chalking up an impressive 744 runs for his team.
Although the start to this year’s tournament wasn’t as dazzling, with modest scores of eight and 27 against Rajasthan in the opening match, the 22-year-old quickly proved his mettle against cricket powerhouse Mumbai. He notched a crucial fifty in the first innings and then followed it up with a magnificent unbeaten 117, ultimately denying the formidable Mumbai squad an outright victory.
A humble Ayush explained that as the pitch became more favorable for batting, his main goal was to prevent the left-arm spinners from settling into a rhythm. He was clearly pleased with how effectively he executed that strategy.
Despite not having a particularly strong record in age-group cricket, Ayush really turned heads last year. His excellent performance in the Buchi Babu tournament paved the way for his sensational form in the Ranji Trophy.
“The Buchi Babu campaign boosted my confidence immensely, and I was able to carry that momentum forward. I’m eager to build on this performance again this time,” Ayush stated. He also highlighted the team’s collective learning experience, noting that they identified their errors from the first innings and bounced back strongly. “We recognized our mistakes, and our clear intention was to bat patiently and deeply, which we managed to do,” he added.
Ayush began his cricketing journey quite early, thanks to his father—a fervent Sachin Tendulkar fan—who enrolled him in the Riaz Cricket Academy in Raipur. “I was passionate about the game, and gradually, everything started to fall into place for me,” he reflected. He further commented, “While I haven’t played much white-ball cricket so far, the success I’ve found in red-ball cricket is a huge source of motivation for me.”