Riyan Parag continued this season the same way he left off the last season. The youngster has admitted that he has always seen himself as a finisher. In the past two seasons with Rajasthan Royals, Parag has shown glimpses of his talent. He played a crucial inning against Punjab Kings to almost help the team in pulling off a miraculous win.
After having a poor start to the last season, Parag was dropped from the starting 11 of the Royals. When he was brought back into the team, he cemented his spot as a middle-order batsman. He helped the Royals get quick runs in the death overs and started finishing games in a stylish fashion.
Parag made a name for himself after showing his finishing abilities during crunch games against Mumbai Indians and against SRH in IPL 2020. While talking to Cricbuzz, Parag admitted that his instincts are better suited for him to be a finisher for Rajasthan Royals.
“He wasn’t told that at the start of the tournament. Halfway through the tournament, I started bowling, so I had an element of mystery as well. They asked if I could do it in a match, so I practised my bowling with Ish Sodhi and Sairaj Bahatule sir and then I mostly went in as a bowler who could bowl two overs. And then I got an opportunity to go and bat and develop my game as a finisher. I think that’s always been in my instincts, so it just took over from there.”
Last year the way Parag batted towards the end of the season, he earned the faith of management that he can finish the games off and is more likely to perform the same role this season too.
Parag is cherishing the experience of sharing the dressing room with such big names while Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and the others at such a young age. Even in Domestic cricket, Parag bats down the order or in the middle so that he can get used to that role.
The teenager is taking one step at a time by not thinking about the competition around himself and is only focused on his game. He believes that thinking about the Indian dream and worrying about the competition does not go hand in hand.
To show such maturity at this young age shows that he is surrounded by good influence and if he keeps the same work ethic up then it won’t be a surprise that this player, who comes from a small town in Assam, is seen wearing the Indian jersey.