Riyan Parag needs no introduction in cricket circles, especially after his performances in the IPL 2024 for Rajasthan Royals. The young right-handed batter scored as many as 573 runs in 16 matches and finally earned a call-up into the Indian national team. However, his debut during the five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe didn’t go according to plan as he managed only 24 runs across two innings.
Undeterred by this inauspicious start, the selectors persisted with him, and he was in the squad for the series against Sri Lanka. It is here that the bowling skills of Parag stole all the limelight. The unexpected twist occurred when Parag bowled only eight balls in the first T20I against Sri Lanka and picked three crucial wickets giving away just five runs.
That in turn makes him fit into the current idea of Indian management seeking a balance by looking for batters who can bowl. Parag himself was quick to iron out the impression that his bowling was anything new. In an interview recently given to the YouTube channel “Sports with Ravish,” 22-year-old said that he has always been an active bowler in domestic cricket.
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“Everybody thinks I’ve started working on my bowling recently, but that’s not the case. I have taken wickets in domestic cricket and have at least bowled 350 overs a season,” Riyan Parag said. “The only reason it’s getting noticed now is because I have bowled for India and in the IPL, which has brought more attention to it. But honestly, I haven’t done anything different.”
Riyan Parag reveals ‘350 overs’ truth behind unexpected Team India outing: ‘No one sees that because it isn’t televised’#RiyanParag #TeamIndia https://t.co/knB9Oj0t4X
— CrickIt (@CrickitbyHT) September 5, 2024
Ironically, Riyan Parag is currently representing India A in the Duleep Trophy, captained by Shubman Gill. This isn’t the first time both of them have taken the field; Gill was the captain when Parag made his international debut in Zimbabwe, too.
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Riyan Parag has never kept his admiration for Virat Kohli in the closet, and so when he got his ODI cap from the former Indian captain during the Sri Lanka series, he simply thought Lady Luck was smiling at him. Kohli even went on to describe Parag as a potential match-winner for India in the future, adding further weight to the young cricketer’s burgeoning reputation.
