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Aaryavir Sehwag, son of legendary India batter Virender Sehwag, made an eye-catching debut in the ongoing Delhi Premier League.
Aaryavir Sehwag struck four fours during his 16-ball 22. (Picture Credit: IG/centraldelhikings.dpl)
Back in October 2017, the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) inaugurated the Virender Sehwag Gate at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (now Arun Jaitley Stadium). It was a gesture to honour the legend who is often credited to have redefined the role of a Test opener, has two triple-centuries in the format, was known for his incredible hand-eye coordination, part of two world cup winning campaigns and one of India’s finest match-winners.
Seven years later, his elder son, Aaryavir, made an eye-catching debut at the same ground in the second edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL).
The Central Delhi Kings needed to replace their regular opener, Yash Dhull, who left the league to join the North Zone team for the Duleep Trophy 2025. The team has been flying high this season, and they needed someone at the top of the order who could keep the momentum going. That’s when the management zeroed in on Aaryavir, scheduling his debut against the East Delhi Riders, an equally strong opponent.
On Wednesday evening, the cameras focused on Aaryavir as he walked out with partner – wicketkeeper-batter Kaushal Suman to open the innings, whereas social media was abuzz with his name. He showcased his flair with the bat, and some of his strokes brought back memories of his legendary father. Though the score against his name – 22 off 16 – wasn’t big, the confidence was evident. His start helped Central Delhi post 155/6 in 20 overs – a total that eventually proved enough to defeat East Delhi.
Addressing the post-match press conference, Aaryavir revealed when he was informed about his DPL debut.
“After the last game [I got to know that I will play the next one],” said Aaryavir, responding to a CNN-News18 CricketNext query.
“I took that catch in the previous match. After the game ended, Jonty [Sidhu] bhaiyya told me that I would play the next match,” he added.
The 17-year-old had a cautious start but soon shifted gears to smash Navdeep Saini, with 11 T20Is under his belt, for back-to-back boundaries. First, he lofted one over covers and then stepped out, made room, and hammered the next through extra cover. Taking 12 runs off the over was enough to jolt Saini, that too, at the beginning of the game.
Those couple of boundaries lifted his confidence and eased him up so much that he gave another East Delhi bowler, Raunak Waghela, the same treatment – back-to-back boundaries.
“It felt good. The first two boundaries gave me confidence and helped me settle in. But the innings wasn’t that long. I will try to stay longer in the middle next time,” he said about his debut knock.
Before heading into the playoffs, Aaryavir plans to seek feedback from his father, who defined power-hitting across formats. The teenager often turns to his father for advice.
“Absolutely. Jab father sahab bolenge to sunna to padega hi (I have to listen to my father),” Aaryavir chuckled.
While the DPL 2025 is heading towards its business end, the Arun Jaitley Stadium has been hosting a plethora of scouts from different IPL franchises. But Aaryavir insists he doesn’t pay too much attention to it, especially when the game is on.
“We are aware that we are being monitored. The scouts have their eyes on us. But we don’t think about it too much, especially when we are on the field. We just focus on the game,” he added.
The Central Delhi Kings have qualified for the DPL 2025 playoffs. With crucial games lined up, all eyes will be on the young lad whose surname continues to spark curiosity about his performance.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
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