Riyan Parag, the world’s top T20 hitter, Suryakumar Yadav, is being likened to a juvenile version of himself after years of hate and mocking.
Rajasthan Royals’ Riyan Parag plays a shot during the match against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024(ANI )
With the IPL, Riyan Parag has been involved for the past six years. He has at least seven matches left to play in every season since 2019; in three consecutive seasons starting in 2020, he has more than ten. For a guy whose strike rate was in the early 120s for the first five years and whose average was centered around 18, it is a lot. His abrasive, in-your-face demeanor did not assist. Because of his consistent underperformance and his combative on-field demeanor, he became a favorite target for online trolling. Every time Parag returned empty-handed, they feasted, yet they never lost hope on the field. This went on for a long five years.
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A huge thank you to the owners and management of the Rajasthan Royals squad. Year after year, they continued to support Parag even though they had plenty of chances to cast him aside. Few people witnessed what they saw. The Royals spent five years investing in a losing asset in a very competitive franchise environment where major foreign stars are often determined by two games.
Ultimately, it has begun to provide returns in 2024, and how In two of RR’s three league games thus far, he has been the team’s top batter; in the other, he has scored 43 off 29. The haters on social media have blatantly changed their minds. Unannounced praise has become unwanted insult. Additionally, there are rumors of a spot in the Indian T20 team. What’s more? The top T20 hitter in the world, Suryakumar Yadav, is being likened to a younger version of himself.
“I feel that Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), who visited Mumbai a few years ago, is somewhat like him (Parag). That’s how he looks—he’s really talented. Shane Bond, the bowling coach for RR, stated in the press conference held following the team’s victory over MI, “He has just matured as a cricketer, even though he is only 22.”
Before moving to Jaipur this year, Bond spent nine years with the Mumbai-based MI team, starting in 2015. During that time, he was instrumental in helping the team develop its bowling skills.”Obviously, batting up the order, Riyan Parag has had a tremendous domestic season. The move we made with Devdutt (Padikkal) to bring Avesh (Khan) in was to elevate Riyan to a position that was perhaps more appropriate,” the former fast bowler from New Zealand continued. After hammering the Delhi Capitals for an undefeated 84 off 45 balls, Parag contributed a solid 54* to lead his side home in a 126-run chase.
Why did RR move Riyan Parag up the hierarchy?
Suryakumar joined MI in 2011 and played for the Kolkata Knight Riders for four years, from 2014 to 2017, before returning to Mumbai in 2018. He had surgery recently, and is recuperating.
Bond stated that whereas other teams had experienced international players in that capacity, Parag has had to perform the role of a finisher in the IPL at a young age.
“You would never guess that Ryan was just 17 or so when he began out, playing in one of the hardest positions in a No. 6 hitting lineup. When you look at the players who wrap up matches during the IPL, you’ll see that they are typically really seasoned men, the speaker stated.
“Tim Davids and Dave Millers are two exceptional cricket players who compete internationally. That has been Riyan’s responsibility for a lot of years. Even though he is still a relatively young man, he already has a plethora of experience under his belt.
“We are winning against him. The investment that RR has made in him is beginning to pay off. What he may provide for us for the remainder of the season is really intriguing.