Rajasthan Royals Riyan Parag in action during the IPL match against Mumbai Indians. File
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
Ever since he made his Indian Premier League debut as a 17-year-old in 2019, Riyan Parag has hit the headlines, some for unwanted reasons. While sections of the mainstream media have questioned whether the Assamese cricketer was a worthy investment, he was found to be a target for vicious trolls on social media.
Come 2024, and Parag has been the story of the IPL’s 17th edition. A promotion in the batting order to No. 4 has worked wonders for Parag, who showcased his prowess on April 1 at the Wankhede Stadium with an unbeaten fifty — his second on a trot — to take Rajasthan Royals home against Mumbai Indians.
RR bowling coach Shane Bond paid Parag a huge compliment after the game. “He sort of reminds me of Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), who came to Mumbai a few years ago (in 2018). He looks like that — he has extreme talent. He has just matured as a cricketer, even though he is only 22,” Bond said.
“He has had an outstanding domestic season, obviously, batting up the order. The trade we made with Devdutt (Padikkal), bringing Avesh (Khan) in, was to put Parag up into a position which was probably better suited for him.”
The plan to switch Parag from a finisher’s role has paid rich dividends early on in the tournament.
“We are getting the best out of him. The investment that RR has made in him is starting to reap the rewards. It is pretty exciting what he could offer for the rest of the season for us,” Bond said.
Having started the new financial year on a wealthy note, the Royals will be hoping for Parag’s form to continue to be bullish for the next eight weeks.