Punjab wicket-keeper batter Salil Arora played a brilliant innings in the Super League stage match against Jharkhand on Friday, December 12, in Pune. He scored an unbeaten 125 runs off just 45 balls, helping his team post a huge total of 235-6.

Salil reached his century in only 39 balls, making it one of the fastest hundreds by an Indian batter in T20 cricket. The uncapped player’s performance before the 2026 IPL Auction is likely to make him a top target, as scouts are already watching him closely.

Here are five interesting facts about Salil Arora after his amazing innings against Jharkhand in the 2025-26 SMAT.

Also Read -Who is Sameer Minhas who scored 177* off 148 for Pakistan U19 team?

🚨 23-YEAR-OLD SALIL ARORA SMASHED HUNDRED FROM JUST 39 BALLS IN SMAT 🚨

- Youngster.
- Bats in Middle Order.
- Wicket Keeper.

He is going to get a huge amount in the IPL Auction. 💰 pic.twitter.com/7TGshrXA2w

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 12, 2025

Five Facts About Salil Arora After His SMAT Heroics

1. Salil Arora scored a hundred on his first-class debut

Salil Arora made his first-class debut in the 2024 Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. He impressed everyone by scoring a tough century in the first innings, helping Punjab reach 277 after coming in at 48-5.

He added 27 runs in the second innings, and the match ended in a draw in Chandigarh. For his rescue act, he was named Player of the Match on debut.

2. He is in the IPL 2026 Auction with a base price of ₹30 lakh

Salil Arora is part of the 350-player shortlist for the IPL 2026 Auction, with a base price of ₹30 lakh.

He shares the Punjab dressing room with top players like Abhishek Sharma, Naman Dhir, Arshdeep Singh, and Prabhsimran Singh. Arora could become the next big name from Punjab to shine in the IPL.

3. He was part of India’s winning squad in the 2019 U-19 Asia Cup

Salil was selected in India’s U-19 team led by Dhruv Jurel, which won the 2019 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. He played one match, scoring a steady 29 runs in a tricky chase against Afghanistan.

He opened the innings and shared an important stand with Shashwat Rawat. He was dismissed by spinner Noor Ahmad, who now plays top-level cricket.

4. He has the second-highest strike rate in the 2025-26 SMAT

Salil has been in excellent form in the 2025-26 SMAT. Playing in the middle order, he has scored 266 runs in six games at a strike rate of 206.20.

This is the second-highest strike rate among players who have faced at least 100 balls. The only player above him is his teammate, Abhishek Sharma.

5. He faced a long wait due to a selection issue in Punjab cricket

Like many young players, Salil faced challenges in his early cricket journey. During his Punjab U-19 days, he had to wait for his chance because the chief selector’s son was picked ahead of him.

In 2017, Punjab Cricket Player Association President Bhupinder Singh told the Tribune that it was unfair to ignore Salil, who had scored 198 runs in eight innings and was part of the winning team. He said Salil became a victim of corruption in the selection.