IPL 2024: "Riyan Parag Is Criticized As Overhyped Cricketer..." - Ravichandran Ashwin Comes In Support Of Youngster

Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently defended his Rajasthan Royals (RR) teammate Riyan Parag from unwarranted criticism. Ravichandran Ashwin stated that Riyan Parag has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket over the past few years.

Riyan Parag played an outstanding innings in Assam’s first match against Chhattisgarh in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The young all-rounder smashed the second-fastest century in Ranji Trophy history. He scored 155 runs off 87 balls, hitting 12 sixes and 11 fours.

Despite his exceptional batting performance, the Assam team suffered a 10-wicket defeat against Chhattisgarh. Assam posted a total of 254 in the second innings, setting a target of 87 runs. Chhattisgarh successfully chased down the target in the final innings.

Riyan Parag Is Still A Young Player – Ravichandran Ashwin

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin emphasized that Riyan Parag should not be judged solely based on IPL performances. Ashwin highlighted Parag’s valuable contributions to the Syed Mushtaq Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy.

“Riyan Parag is frequently criticised as an overhyped cricketer after just seeing his IPL performances. We forget that he’s a youngster sometimes. He is still a young player who is getting better. Parag made useful contributions in the Syed Mushtaq Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy and slammed 155 for Assam against Chattisgarh in the first match of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season,” R Ashwin said.

“He scored 155 off 87 balls. He didn’t play for the sake of playing T20 cricket. He was pushed into that situation. All the batters on the other end fell like flies, and he took charge of his own hands and played such a knock,” he further stated.

Parag emerged as the leading run-scorer in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, amassing 510 runs in 10 matches with an impressive average of 85.00. Following this performance, the 22-year-old secured retention by the Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming IPL season.

Parag has struggled to make a significant impact in the IPL since his debut in 2019. He amassed 600 runs in 54 matches at a below-par average of 16.22 and a strike rate of 129.7. In 2023, he scored 78 runs across seven innings at an average of 13 and a strike rate of 118.18.

Have Great Appreciation For The Curator Of Gujarat – Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin praised the pitch curator of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Valsad, where the Ranji Trophy 2024 match between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu took place.

“I have great appreciation for the curator of Gujarat. If I’m not wrong, the game happened in Valsad. What a pitch! A red soil pitch. In a lot of places in Indian first-class cricket, they say managing a red-soil pitch is difficult and turns a lot. This wicket hardly turned but provided great speed and great bounce,” Ashwin further added.

Gujarat secured victory by 111 runs in their opening match of the ongoing domestic red-ball tournament. The Gujarat bowlers restricted the Tamil Nadu team to 187 runs while successfully defending a total of 298 runs in the final innings of the four-day match.

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