After scoring his third half-century of the season and climbing to second in the Orange Cap standings, the 22-year-old Assam batter Riyan Parag received high praise from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. He encouraged Parag to continue his excellent form with the bat for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, predicting that a call-up for the national team may not be far off if the talented youngster can maintain consistency. Despite flashes of brilliance in past IPL seasons, Parag had previously struggled to make a sustained impact.

The Assam star has only scored two fifty-score runs in five seasons since debuting in 2019. But after an outstanding domestic cricket season with the bat, his fortunes have taken a significant turn for the better in the ongoing IPL season. The young player has already scored three fifties in five games, bringing his total to 261 runs and placing second in the Orange Cap standings.

Taking advantage of his opportunities, Riyan Parag made Gujarat Titans pay dearly for their mistakes. That’s what this game is about. His unbelievable play shows how he has genuinely maximized his chances.” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

After losing openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler early, Rajasthan Royals were powered by Riyan Parag’s scintillating 76 off 48 balls, who capitalized on two dropped chances. Parag, alongside captain Sanju Samson, steadied the innings with a 130-run partnership for the third wicket. Parag liked Noor Ahmed, smashing the left-arm wrist spinner for five sixes in a dominant display. Despite rain interruptions, Parag’s assault propelled Rajasthan to 196.

“Throughout this season, he has achieved tremendous success in the IPL and across alls. The selectors have taken notice of his consistent performance with the bat. He simply needs to maintain his stellar batting form to stay in contention,” Sunil Gavaskar said.

Additionally, his superb fielding abilities are well-known, and he can contribute with the ball by bowling occasional off-spin. He can deliver a variety of off-spin deliveries, which I affectionately refer to as “mixed pakodas” due to their unpredictable trajectories.” he added.

RR’s four-match winning streak ended as they lost their first game of the IPL 2024 season despite the valiant efforts of Riyan Parag. Rashid Khan’s cameo of 24 from 11 balls and Shubman Gill’s captain’s knock of 72 helped GT win a thrilling last-over match in Jaipur on Wednesday.

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