Stokes told me to treat T20 like gully cricket: Parag
It is one thing for someone to be hailed as a prodigious talent but channeling the talent is easier said than done. Rajasthan Royals has a history of recognising and thrusting young, unknown talent into limelight. More often than not the team has succeeded in that, examples being Swapnil Asnodkar and Kamran Khan.
Only two matches old in a high pressure league like IPL, Riyan Parag, 17, it seems, is the latest in that line.
His first match was against Chennai Super Kings, where he faced his idol MS Dhoni, who he met as a young boy courtesy his father Parag Das, a former firstclass player for Assam. In that game, Parag made 16 and returned 3/24, bowling leg-spin.
With RR sliding from one defeat to another, Parag was in focus again on Saturday, walking in at the fall of Ben Stokes with the team shaky at 77/3 after eight overs.
What followed was a matchwinning partnership of 70 runs with Royals’ new skipper Steve Smith; 29 balls and 43 runs later, Riyan had got his share of limelight in the win. Against MI, he also bowled two overs, giving away only 17.
As RR cruised to victory, the youngster couln’t thank the skipper enough for calming him down and giving him the confidence to play his shots.
“Having a senior batsman like Steve is really a help for an inexperienced batsman like me. I have handled pressure but not at such a big stage.
“Steve really calmed me down. He said ‘just play your normal game; it’s just a game of cricket’. He said ‘play your shots, if the ball is there to be hit, hit it’,”Parag said.
He was part of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning squad and has had a successful run for his state Assam in the age group and senior level.
Parag is looking to cash in on the chance to play IPL, and imbibe the lessons it offers for a young domestic player.
“A lot of inputs, guidance and teachings have happened in the past month I have been with the team. I have learned a lot of things that have shown in my game. I am batting with a lot of maturity. I have had long chats with players and coaches and it’s showing in my game. I came in to bat with (Ben) Stokes during the CSK game and he told me to treat the match like gully cricket,” Parag said.