'He showed a great level of maturity' - Niall O'Brien hails Ayush Badoni's remarkable IPL debut

Fans are just one week into the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and have already seen several Indian youngsters grabbing attention on the big stage. One of these names was Lucknow Super Giants’ batter Ayush Badoni, who surprised one and all with his impactful performance against the Gujarat Titans.

Walking into the middle, with four wickets down for just 29 runs in 4.3 overs, not many expected Badoni to put on a display as he did on his IPL debut. The 22-year-old emerged as the second-highest run-getter for his side, scoring 54 runs off just 41 runs, with four fours and three maximums to his name.

Former Irish cricketer Niall O’Brien waxed lyrical on the Indian youngster for his ‘mature’ performance with the bat against the Gujarat Titans. “He showed a great level of maturity. He was not striking the ball from the middle of the bat, he basically accepted giving the strike back to Deepak Hooda, who actually played a really good knock,” said Niall O’Brien on Sky247.net presents ‘Not Just Cricket Show’ on CricTracker.

Deepak Hooda showed his experience: Niall O’Brien

After the star-studded top order of Lucknow Super Giants crumbled in the powerplay, it was a combined effort from Deepak Hooda and Badoni that helped their side post a fighting total of 158 runs. Hooda was the primary aggressor towards the start, as he scored 55 runs off just 41 balls, with six fours and two maximums to his name.

The Indian pair knitted a partnership of 87 runs, as they almost safely negotiated past Rashid Khan’s four-over spell. “Deepak Hooda showed all his experience. Both players played Rashid Khan really well. They incorporated the sweep early and tried to slog sweep with a slightly straighter bat. Their partnership was great. He (Deepak Hooda) took the pressure of the youngster (Ayush) on the other hand,” Niall O’Brien added.

Although Lucknow Super Giants ended up on the losing side, there were plenty of positives to take away. How the two Indian youngsters, Hooda and Badoni, managed to revive their innings after a horrific start certainly makes it to the top of the list.