"Sachin ke baad doosra khilaadi ha jo chamatkar ha": Sidhu backs Priyansh Arya to represent India

When Punjab were looking like a lost cause, dwindling at 83/5, with defeat staring at their face, Priyansh raised the tempo with a memorable outing with the bat. With the odds stacked against Punjab, he tore through Chennai's star-studded bowling unit, featuring Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

The 24-year-old rode on luck and saw Chennai flooring his catch twice as he walloped to a 39-ball century, his first in the cash-rich league. Priyansh's effortless strokeplay and belligerent approach, combined with finishing touches from Shashank Singh (52*) and Marco Jansen (34*), inspired PBKS to muscle its way to a daunting 219/6.

For Sidhu, who has seen various prospects develop, shine and leave in the world of cricket, Priyansh emerges as the second player who lives up to his criteria of being a "miracle" after the legendary 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar.

"Priyansh Arya will play for India for a long time. After Sachin Tendulkar, he is the second player who is a miracle (Sachin ke baad doosra khilaadi ha jo chamatkar ha) because today he scored a century in a tough situation. Look at the bowlers he faced; he scored a century at a 250-strike rate," Sidhu said in a video he posted on Instagram.

"When Shreyas, Nehal, and Prabhsimran were dismissed, he scored runs with his strong wrists. The way he scores sixes on point and covers, he covered all ranges. Pathirana, Jadjea, Ashwin and Noor were the bowlers in front of him. He won a lost match for Punjab," he added.

After Priyansh's rollicking 103(42), featuring nine maximums, the onus fell on Punjab's bowling unit to ensure Chennai continued its journey of chasing its first 180-plus targets since 2018.

Despite an imposing start from Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra, Chennai fell 18 runs short of victory and surrendered to its fourth consecutive defeat in the ongoing season. (ANI)