IPL Riyan Parag: From U19 World Cup Winner to Rajasthan Royals’ Young Star
Published on: Feb 27, 2023 12:30 pm IST|Updated on: Feb 27, 2023 12:30 pm IST
Riyan Parag, a promising young talent from Assam, has made a name for himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the past few years.
IPL Riyan Parag’s journey
He was a part of the India U19 squad that won the World Cup in 2018 and was picked up by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the player auction before IPL 2019. Since then, Parag has been a regular feature in the RR squad and has played some memorable innings for the team. In this blog, we will take a closer look at his IPL journey so far.
Early Days
Riyan Parag was born on November 10, 2001, in Guwahati, Assam. He grew up in a sporting family, with his father, Parag Das, being a former Assam state cricketer and his mother, Mithu Baruah, a national record holder swimmer. Parag started playing cricket at a young age and was soon picked for the Assam U16 team. He made his first-class debut for Assam in the 2017-18 season of the Ranji Trophy at the age of 16.
U19 World Cup Success
In 2018, Parag was selected for the India U19 squad that was set to play in the World Cup in New Zealand. He had a good tournament, scoring 252 runs in six matches at an average of 84.00, including two fifties. He played a crucial role in India’s win in the final, scoring 23 off 28 balls to help his team chase down a target of 217 against Australia. Parag’s performances in the tournament caught the attention of IPL franchises, and he was soon picked up by RR in the auction for IPL 2019.
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IPL 2019
Parag made his IPL debut for RR against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in April 2019. He was sent in at No. 6 and scored 16 off 13 balls, but RR lost the match by eight wickets. Parag’s first major contribution came in RR’s next match against Mumbai Indians (MI) when he scored a crucial 43 off 29 balls to help his team chase down a target of 162. His innings included four fours and two sixes and earned him the Man of the Match award.
Parag’s most memorable performance of IPL 2019 came against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in May. Chasing a target of 161, RR were struggling at 63/4 when Parag walked in to bat. He played an excellent innings, scoring 47 off 31 balls, including four fours and two sixes, and shared a match-winning partnership with Jofra Archer. Parag’s innings helped RR win the match by seven wickets and earned him widespread praise.
In his debut season, Parag played seven matches for RR, scoring 160 runs at an average of 32.00 and a strike rate of 126.98. He also hit his maiden IPL fifty in the season, becoming the youngest player to do so.
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IPL 2020 and 2021
Parag did not have a great season with the bat in IPL 2020, scoring only 86 runs in 12 matches at an average of 12.28 and a strike rate of 111.68. He did, however, take some stunning catches in the outfield and impressed with his fielding skills.
In IPL 2021, Parag had a mixed season, scoring 93 runs in 11 matches at an average of 11.62 and a strike rate of 112. Although he failed to cross the 25-run mark in any of the innings, he played a few crucial cameos that helped his team win matches. Parag was once again retained by Rajasthan Royals for the 2022 season, where he would be looking to prove his worth in a side that has a good mix of experience and young talent.
IPL 2022: A big season for Riyan Parag
With the mega auction taking place ahead of the IPL 2022 season, Riyan Parag was once again retained by the Rajasthan Royals for a whopping INR 3.8 crores. This shows the faith that the franchise has in the young all-rounder, and he will be expected to deliver in the upcoming season.
In the IPL 2022, Riyan Parag has shown some glimpses of his talent with the bat. He has scored 183 runs in 17 matches at an average of 16.64, with a high score of 56*. While he hasn’t been able to score big runs consistently, he has played some important knocks that have helped his team. His strike rate of 138.64 is also an indication of the impact he can have in the middle overs.
Apart from his batting, Riyan Parag has also proved to be a handy option with the ball. He has bowled 9 overs in the tournament so far, picking up 3 wickets at an economy rate of 8.77. Parag has been used primarily as a part-time bowler by the Rajasthan Royals, but he has shown that he can contribute to the team in multiple ways.
Conclusion
At just 20 years of age, Riyan Parag has already made a mark for himself in the IPL. He has shown that he has the talent and temperament to succeed at the highest level, and with age on his side, he has a long career ahead of him. His ability to play both attacking and defensive shots and his sound technique against both pace and spin make him a valuable asset to any team.
Riyan Parag’s journey in the IPL has been a rollercoaster ride so far, with ups and downs along the way. However, he has shown that he is a fighter who can bounce back from setbacks and make a comeback stronger. The 2022 season will be a big one for the young all-rounder, and if he can continue to improve his game and perform consistently, he could become a regular in the Rajasthan Royals lineup and make a name for himself in the IPL.
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