Ayush Badoni has consistently made strong impressions throughout his career, often displaying an ability to thrive under pressure. During the 2022 Delhi Capitals trials, the 22-year-old batter smashed a 25-ball 50, followed by a remarkable 90 off 30 balls at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) trials. His debut for LSG saw him score a 41-ball 54 against Gujarat Titans, a performance that earned him the nickname “Baby AB” from KL Rahul for his diverse range of shots.
However, Badoni’s recent transformation into a dominant red-ball force has shifted the narrative. On October 18, he informed his long-time club coach, Davendra Sharma, of his intention to hit a double century, stating, “Double karunga, sir.” He had just finished an unbeaten 115-run innings for Delhi against Gujarat at the Palam B Stadium. True to his word, he achieved the double century the following day and replicated that feat a week later against Jharkhand in Ranchi. He’d walked off the Palam B Stadium in New Delhi unbeaten on 115 against Gujarat at stumps on Day 1, just a couple of hours before. The double came, duly on Day 2. Not that Davendra is surprised by the outcome. He makes up for, with time, but what Badoni didn’t – and doesn’t – have in size. But chose to hit the nets for hours against the new ball so he could get used to letting a lot of them go, badoni occupies the No.5 spot for Delhi. But he batted brilliantly and got in. He channeled that hurt into meaningful output.
Davendra, who has mentored Badoni since his early days at the Sonnet Cricket Club in New Delhi, noted that the batter has always possessed a unique ability to play late. “Ayush always had the time. He’s a natural backfooter,” Davendra explained, highlighting that many young players rely too heavily on the front foot, whereas Badoni’s backfoot game is a significant advantage. Davendra also praised his mental fortitude, noting that even as a 12-year-old, Badoni stood out for his calm demeanor during high-stakes club trials. Young and diminutive batter taking to the big boys’ league seamlessly, here was a fresh. They’re always front foot players, a lot of times when kids start out. Perhaps the expectation, of mental fortitude at least, has already changed, but in a world where a 15-year-old can walk out and hit Jasprit Bumrah for a six first up. Is a special kid, anyone who plays on the backfoot. Badoni caught Davendra’s attention by how unflustered he was even at that age during the trials for a club with such a rich alumni roster: Rishabh Pant, Ashish Nehra, Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan. And the ability to not buckle under any kind of pressure, davendra keeps steering the conversation towards Badoni’s mental strength.
Badoni’s recent surge to the top of the Ranji Trophy run-scoring charts comes after a period of self-reflection following a difficult IPL season and being dropped from the India A squad after the series in Sri Lanka. Determined to refine his craft, he spent long hours in the nets before the domestic season, deliberately facing the new ball to practice leaving deliveries and building innings. He focused on simulating full-day play rather than relying on his natural T20 aggression. He incorporated all of this in session-wise practice.
The training regimen was strictly structured. Badoni enforced discipline by setting small, incremental goals, such as playing 15-over blocks while attempting only grounded, low-risk strokes. The objective was to score an opening run before progressing in 10-run segments toward a half-century and eventually a century. Davendra emphasized the importance of this shift, explaining that in international cricket, top-tier batters like Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rishabh Pant, and Yuvraj Singh succeeded largely due to their sound backfoot technique against three-quarter length deliveries. But that is merely half the Badoni story. He’d say, I’ll now play 15 overs, and only attempt grounded strokes. Then go ahead with targets of 10-10 runs, idea was to score his first run first. He wanted to attempt only those shots he was sure of, no forcing anything, within this plan.
As he continues his role as Delhi captain, Badoni has demonstrated an improved secondary line of defense, specifically covering for swing movement and maintaining technical precision against spin. While the domestic season remains demanding, his preparation has provided a strong foundation. Badoni’s current success highlights his capacity to reset his approach, take fresh guard, and maintain the mental discipline required to excel in the red-ball format. So far, all the work behind the scenes has brought instant dividends for the Delhi captain.
