Image Credit- BCCI
Riyan Parag scored
just 78 runs in seven innings during the 2023 Indian Premier League at a strike
rate of 118.18 and an average of 13. The Rajasthan Royals weren’t expecting
this kind of performance from him, especially after they had purchased him back
at auction the year before for INR 3.8 crore. This season, Parag has scored 127
runs at a strike rate of 171.62 in just two innings, both at No. 4. On a
challenging pitch in Jaipur on Thursday, the total featured a career-best 84
not out from 45 balls against Delhi Capitals.
The 22-year-old
Parag attributed his recent success to his preparation for this IPL season. He
had became the leading scorer in the 2023–24 Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy, with 510
runs at an average of 85 and a strike rate of almost 183 in ten innings. It
included a record-breaking seven half-centuries in a row for T20. Working with
Zubin Bharucha, the former Mumbai player and senior coach at Royals, Parag had
improved his T20 game.
“I think it’s a result of a lot of practice behind the scenes,” Parag
told the host broadcaster after powering Royals to 185 for 5. “I think
it’s not about the bowler but the ball he is bowling and I practiced a lot of
those balls and I could execute a few of them tonight.”
One of the world’s
fastest bowlers, Anrich Nortje, was set up by Parag in the last over of the
Royals innings, and he took him for 4, 4, 6, 4, 6. Yorkers and bouncers weren’t
exempt either.
Parag was on a run-a-ball 26 at one point. After entering the sixth over at 30
for 2, Parag eliminated any early seam movement and reconstructed the innings
with R Ashwin, who was moved up to the No. 5 spot. In the final overs, he
unleashed his fury, hitting 58 off his final 19 balls.
“I always have my options ready on both sides of the wicket. That’s what
I’ve been working on lately and I just back myself,” Parag said. “I
know I’ve got the power and the strength to dig out yorker balls or even hit
sixes off the short balls. So, I’m just backing myself and whenever it comes,
I’m going to hit a boundary. Sometimes, it does work out and sometimes it
doesn’t.”