Jabalpur Royal Lions batter Vedant Awasthi is finally living his dream of playing competitive cricket. The aggressive youngster, who idolises Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell, revealed that he had stepped away from the sport for nearly five years after failing to make the Under-15 team before making a determined comeback.
Awasthi’s inspiring journey has now come full circle in the Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026, where he became the first player from the Player Development Programme (PDP) to score a half-century in the tournament.
“I’m from Indore and started playing cricket when I was around 12 years old. There was a phase where I had to take a break from the game, but I returned a few years ago and worked hard to earn another opportunity. The Player Development Programme gave me a platform to showcase my abilities and I’m delighted to become the first PDP player to score a half-century in the MPL. It’s a special moment and one that gives me a lot of confidence going forward,” he said in an exclusive chat.
Vedant played a superb match-winning knock for the Royal Lions, anchoring the chase with confidence and composure. His innings proved crucial in helping Jabalpur successfully chase down the challenging target and secure an important victory against Bhopal Leopards.
“I had been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time and I’m extremely grateful that I finally got the chance and was able to make the most of it. Of course, there is a bit of disappointment because I wanted to stay till the end and finish the chase unbeaten, but I’m happy that I could contribute to the team’s victory.”
“When a few wickets fell after the strong start, the message from the dugout was very clear — back yourself, stay at the crease and take the game deep. That confidence from the team really helped me,” he concluded.
