The Rajasthan Royals have been betting on Riyan Parag for the sixth straight season in the Indian Premier League; they did so when he was just seventeen years old. They threw him into the deep end for five years after he became the youngest half-centurion in the tournament, expecting to enjoy the benefits, but they were unable to achieve the desired outcome. In spite of this, they battled it out till Rs 4.6 Crore to get his services once more in the 2022 IPL mega auction.
Parag was primarily used as a finisher in the 54 games over his first five seasons, averaging just 16.22 with a strike rate of 123.97. Among batters who have played at least 20 innings since Parag’s debut, only Washington Sundar claimed to have a lower strike rate at spots 6, 7, and 8.
The Rajasthan Royals have been patiently waiting to reap the benefits of their ongoing assistance to Parag. And it’s not too far to find inspiration. Director of Cricket for the Royals Kumar Sangakarra is hoping that Parag will be inspired by his fellow young IPL teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel’s recent ascent to the Indian team.
“He’s got a hunger there now and an example to follow into the international side, having seen the huge jumps that Jaiswal and Jurel have made,” Sangakkara remarked on Wednesday, the day before the Royals’ match against the Delhi Capitals in Jaipur. “Our players have a range of goals, and playing in the IPL is one of them. I believe he has realized that his performance here sets the stage for it. For him, growing up, improving his game, and assuming greater responsibility are unavoidable.”
The Royals have a good reason for supporting the young all-round player from Assam. He has had an incredible run in domestic cricket over the past few seasons, leading the way in the just finished Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a strike rate of 186.79. Sangakkara acknowledges that a lot has happened in Parag during the previous season. He thinks that maturity is the most crucial factor.
“The biggest thing we’ve seen in Riyan is maturity,” he explains. “Irrespective of the support we offer players and whatever coaches you have, self-awareness of what your game is, what is good for you, what your lifestyle should look like in terms of on-field, off-field, focus on performance – all of that has changed in Riyan.”
But Sangakkara adds a warning before criticising Parag for his lackluster IPL efforts. “As a cricket player, he is still extremely young. Not to be overlooked, he has also received a great deal of attention throughout the years as one of the faces of the younger brigade’s franchise.”
In the Royals’ opening game of the season in Jaipur, Parag had a big impression against the Lucknow Super Giants to start the 2024 season. When he was batting on 29, Mohsin Khan dropped a sitter at short fine, but he capitalized nicely, scoring 13 runs off the next six deliveries. He did enjoy his fair share of luck.
Similar to what Sanju Samson had said before the previous game, Sangakkara clarified that Parag’s struggles thus far have been attributed to his batting position. This season, he would be promoted to a more comfortable and familiar No. 4, where he should be able to score more runs.
“I think it was a cricketing decision we made (to play Parag at No 4 against Lucknow Super Giants),” he stated. “We examined his performance history over time. For someone like Riyan, who has a big game overall, it’s incredibly challenging to only get the hardest parts of the game, when he has to enter and increase the run rate at the very end. We all believed that he could be of much greater use to us in other capacities. And all of the runs he scored in domestic cricket, along with his season-long hard effort, contributed to that choice. Of course, all players need to return the favor, and he’s off to a terrific start.
“He needs to continue honing his ability to read the game well and to have faith in his abilities as a No. 4 player. Since he can move quickly, he was a perfect fit for the crucial position of number four.”
The decision to switch their batting positions appears to have benefited both the team and one of the most talented young players in the competition. It is yet unclear, though, if Parag will keep seizing his chances and pushing himself to achieve the same levels of achievement as Jaiswal and Jurel.
