Shikhar Dhawan's quiet legacy: How Ayush Badoni, Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi rose from South Delhi Superstarz to IPL stardom

New Delhi, April 11: Shikhar Dhawan may have taken a step back from international cricket, but his influence on the game continues in unexpected ways. This IPL season, as emerging names like Priyansh Arya, Digvesh Rathi, and Ayush Badoni make their presence felt, a quiet connection links them back to Delhi's vibrant cricket scene and to Shikhar Dhawan himself.

All three are part of the South Delhi Superstarz, a team in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) owned by Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan owns the franchise through his Da-One sports venture alongside Ayush Lalwani, Owner of the Lalwani Group & Ishwin Singh Hora, Owner of the Reach Group. The South Delhi Superstarz have consistently featured hungry, fearless players many of whom have now started to break through in domestic and franchise cricket.

"I'm genuinely proud of Ayush, Priyansh, and Digvesh. To see them grow, take on challenges, and now perform on such big stages, it's something special. As someone who's seen their journey up close, it fills me with happiness. Their success is a reflection of their dedication and hunger, and I'm just cheering them on like everyone else," Shikhar Dhawan told ANI.

Ayush Badoni, now a known name in the IPL circuit, Priyansh Arya , a batter making waves with his attacking flair, and Digvesh Rathi , a promising spinner with a sharp cricketing brain--all benefitted from the competitive, high-intensity environment the DPL and teams like the Superstarz offer.

In an age where young talent often needs just the right launchpad to take off, setups like these are becoming crucial to India's cricketing ecosystem. It's yet another example of how former players like Shikhar are shaping the game in meaningful ways, just not always from the middle of the pitch.

With more DPL seasons ahead and talent continuing to rise through its ranks, the quiet legacy of South Delhi Superstarz and its most well-known backer, Shikhar Dhawan, seems just to be getting started.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

This is why I love cricket! The way Dhawan is giving back to the game by nurturing young talent is just amazing 👏 More players should follow his example. Badoni has been a revelation this season!

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Priya M.

As someone from South Delhi, it's so cool to see our local boys making it big! The DPL doesn't get enough coverage - these stories show how important grassroots cricket is for India's future stars.

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Amit S.

While I appreciate Dhawan's efforts, I wish the article had more details about the actual training setup. How exactly are these players being developed? Just saying "competitive environment" is quite vague.

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Sanjay P.

Digvesh Rathi's bowling action reminds me so much of young Ashwin! The future of Indian spin bowling looks bright with talents like him coming through these local leagues. More power to South Delhi Superstarz!

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Neha T.

This makes me emotional 🥺 Seeing Shikhar transition from player to mentor is beautiful. He was always such a positive presence on the field, and now he's spreading that energy to the next generation. #Legend

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Vikram J.

The IPL effect is real! Local leagues feeding talent to the big stage is exactly what Indian cricket needed. Wonder how many more hidden gems are playing in the DPL right now?

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