Riyan Parag

Given how long he has already played at some of the highest levels of cricket, it is easy to forget that Riyan Parag is very much still a work in progress. Always playing the sport with a level of confidence and swagger that has become typical of new-age India. Parag has the tendency to rub some the wrong way — but the talent speaks for itself, and the allrounder from Assam continues to forge his path forward through the gauntlet of professional cricket.

Cricket was always a path for the young Riyan, who came from a family of athletes: his father had earlier represented Assam at the domestic level. Parag’s journey through age-group cricket was fast-tracked, as he became the first Indian cricketer born in the 21st century to play a First Class game in the country. At the age of 16 he was selected for the 2018 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand. It was relatively a quiet tournament for Parag.

At 17, Parag would be drafted into the IPL by Rajasthan Royals, and a half-century against Delhi Capitals that season meant he still holds the record of the youngest ever to score a fifty in the tournament’s history. The potential was there for all to see, with Riyan an audacious and aggressive batter blessed with quick hands and easy boundary-clearing ability. He was also a capable spinner and a sharp fielder, adding versatility to his game.

Nevertheless, the results were slow to come, as Parag’s performances couldn’t quite match his potential. There was also an element of Parag not being able to walk the talk, as his comments to the media were usually brash and confident, but not backed up by the stats on the field. Perhaps Riyan wasn’t best used in the lower order, having been tasked with finishing responsibilities.

Despite all the criticism, Parag was able to turn things around, showing signs of maturity and coming into his own in 2022 after the tough years. This began with the 2022-23 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the tournament as Assam fell narrowly short in the semifinals. Everything came together in the 2023 Deodhar Trophy, where Parag, representing East Zone, finished as the tournament’s top-scorer, and only two wickets off being the top wicket-taker as well. This included 95 off 65 balls in the final at No. 6, albeit in a losing cause.

The momentum continued for Parag, who finally had a strong season for RR after the team had continued to show faith in him. Elevated up the batting order, Parag shone against both pace and spin as he provided a solid middle-order presence in RR’s strong batting lineup. He finished the 2024 IPL with 573 runs with four half-centuries, third in the orange cap list, showing himself to be a player who can score big runs at a fast rate. Exactly what the doctor ordered!

It was a supremely impressive performance from a player who had received plenty of negative feedback in his journey, and still at 22, to bounce back in such a fashion showed resilience — this time with the performances to back it up. Parag earned his maiden international call-up, travelling to Zimbabwe with a new-look India squad in July 2024 for a T20I series. With plenty of cricket still in front of him, and a character suited for the biggest stage, Parag remains very capable of living his dreams and playing in Indian colours for a very long time.