This IPL season is finally seeing Rajasthan Royals batter Riyan Parag step up and show his true potential after years of fans waiting for him to shine.
Rajasthan Royals’ rising star with the bat, Riyan Parag, has finally started repaying the trust placed in him by the franchise over the past few seasons. His consecutive match-winning performances in IPL 2024 are a testament to his burgeoning talent. Following his impressive 43-run innings off 29 balls in the opening match against Lucknow Super Giants, Parag outdid himself with a stunning unbeaten 84 off just 45 deliveries in the second game against Delhi Capitals.
His remarkable knock rescued the Sanju Samson-led team from a precarious position, as they were struggling at 36/3 after 7.2 overs, eventually propelling them to a formidable total of 185/5 in their allotted 20 overs. After his game-changing performance, the 22-year-old shared insights into the challenges he faced leading up to the match, revealing that he had been bedridden for three days.
“I have worked very hard, the last 3 days I was in bed, I was on painkillers, I just got up today and I’m very happy. (Emotions) They are settled, mom is here, she has seen the struggle, the last 3-4 years,” said Parag in the post-match presentation.
Before the IPL season kicked off, the Assam cricketer was on fire in domestic cricket. He dominated the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023, emerging as the top run-scorer. Displaying his prowess with the bat, he amassed a total of 510 runs from ten innings, boasting an impressive average of 85 and a striking rate of 182.79. Notably, he crafted seven fifties during this remarkable stint.
Continuing his stellar form, he carried his momentum into the Ranji Trophy 2024, where he shone brightly for Assam once again. This time, he secured the title of the team’s second-highest run-getter, accumulating 378 runs across six innings. His average stood at an impressive 75.6 while maintaining a notable strike rate of 113.82. Among his notable feats were two centuries and one fifty, further solidifying his reputation as a dependable batsman.
After a string of impressive performances, Eoin Morgan, the former English captain, spoke highly of the 22-year-old’s skill in striking the ball and mentioned that he’s shown growth from his past errors.
“He is still a very young man in cricketing terms. To strike as well as he has done… even though he has made mistakes over the years, he is proving that he is learning from those. It’s one thing saying hard work and dedication and discipline and various different things, but it has to present itself with opportunities,” Eoin Morgan said on JioCinema.
