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KL Rahul (left) and Ayush Badoni during an IPL match. (BCCI Photo)
Herschelle Gibbs is one of the finest batters to have played for South Africa, scoring over 14,500 runs across formats.
Delhi cricketer Ayush Badoni continues to impress with his big-hitting abilities and recently produced a breathtaking show in the ongoing Delhi Premier League where he’s captaining South Delhi Superstarz. During a breathtaking assault against North Delhi Strikers, Badoni blasted 39-ball century during which he clattered 20 boundaries – 10 fours and as many sixes.
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Badoni, who plies his trade for the Delhi cricket team in domestic circuit, represents Lucknow Super Giants in IPL. Having made his IPL debut in 2022, he’s produced a series of eye-catching performances while playing 42 matches and scoring 634 runs at a strike-rate of 134.04.
LSG fielding coach Jonty Rhodes has lavished high praise on the 24-year-old, pointing out his short stature as the reason for his ability to put away good length deliveries with ease.
“He (Badoni) is a precocious talent that is for sure, he is short so he has got a low centre of gravity,” Rhodes was quoted as saying by PTI. “He gets under the good length deliveries he can hit it anywhere around the ground, he has such fast hands. Justin Langer was so impressed with the sheer talent that he has.”
Rhodes says Badoni remind him of South Africa legend Herschelle Gibbs who was also known for his big-hitting ability. Gibbs played 90 Tests, 248 ODIs and 23 T20Is between 1996 and 2010, scoring over 14,500 runs in them.
“He reminds me a bit of Herschelle Gibbs,” Rhodes said. “He has tremendous hitting ability and when he matches that with calmness, presence of mind, good game plan, he will become a really tough guy to bowl to because he can play both conventional and unconventional shots with ease.”
Badoni scored 165 off 55 against North Delhi Strikers with his team putting up a mammoth total of 308/5 in 20 overs.
“I was just looking to time the ball well, I never thought I would end up hitting 19 sixes in an innings. I just focus on timing the ball and not trying to hit the ball hard,” Badoni said of his innings.
