Riyan Parag has cricket fraternity buzzing: experts laud temperament

Riyan Parag, the new star of IPL: What can we expect?

To beat Kolkata in Eden takes some doing and after losing 5 wickets for just 98 on the board, chasing a total of 176, nerves are bound to be on the platter. But such is the composure of an enthusiastic kid from Assam, that he takes his team home with 4 balls to spare.

Young and dynamic, 17-year-old Riyan Parag has been a shining light for Rajasthan Royals in recent games and has already played 2 game-changing knocks in IPL 2019.

Parag's first notable performance came against the Mumbai Indians (MI) when he scored 43 off 29 balls in the chase. He also played a match-winning knock the other day against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) (47 off 31) when the likes of Steve Smith and Ben Stokes were already back in the hut.

Along with Jofra Archer, he ensured that KKR could not breach the finish line despite a fabulous 97 by skipper Dinesh Karthik. Parag had earlier expressed his wish to be the first international cricketer from Assam to don the India cap. The IPL has always given a platform for players from smaller towns to make their name. Bumrah, Yusuf Pathan and Pandya brothers are some examples of how the multi-million league has given some terrific India players.

With many marquee players underperforming in the Royals set up Parag has stepped up to the occasion in style.

When Parag met Dhoni

Riyan Parag's father Parag Das recalls an interesting episode - The Indian team had arrived in Guwahati to play an ODI in 2005 and the match was washed due to rain after which the players were having fun. The photo of Riyan with Dhoni is from on the sidelines of that game. "The photo was taken by Riyan's mom. When the Indian team came to Guwahati for a match, but it was abandoned due to rain. Indian players went to the shooting range for fun and at that time this photo was clicked," Riyan's father added.

He also went on to say that it was a dreamlike experience to watch his son bowl to Dhoni. "It was surreal to see him bowl to Dhoni," he said. After playing four matches, Parag has scored 110 runs at a strike-rate of close to 143 and has picked a wicket with the ball.

Trivia: Against Delhi Capitals, in what was his third IPL match, Riyan became the youngest bowler to pick up a wicket, at the age of 17, beating the record of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, as he dismissed DC captain Shreyas Iyer. Parag celebrated his wicket with the traditional Assamese Bihu dance.