"Managing a lot of stress": Riyan Parag makes big revelation on IPL 2025 campaign with RR

The 23-year-old India National Cricket Team all-rounder Riyan Parag has made a massive revelation on his campaign with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Riyan Parag has said that he was "managing a lot of stress and stuff like that" during the IPL 2025 season due to the shoulder injury.

Since the IPL, I haven't really played - Riyan Parag

Riyan Parag was named as the stand-in captain of Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, and he led the team in several matches, which Sanju Samson missed due to injury issues.

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Overall, Rajasthan Royals had a terrible campaign, and they finished in ninth position and Parag scored 393 runs at an average of 32.75 and a strike rate of 166.52.

After IPL, he returned to action in the ongoing Duleep Trophy, where he led the East Zone against the North Zone as Abhimanyu Easwaran was absent due to a fever.

Last year, Parag underwent shoulder surgery after playing T20I cricket for India in October 2024. He made his comeback in January in the Ranji Trophy and then played IPL 2025.

Speaking after the final day of the Duleep Trophy game against North Zone, Riyan Parag said that he just wanted to have fun in the match and made a revelation about his IPL 2025 campaign.

"It was good. I mean, that was the main goal when I came here to play the game. Performances, I didn't really focus on that much. I just wanted to have some fun," he said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"I haven't played competitive cricket in a long time. Since the IPL, I haven't really played. [In the] IPL also, I was managing a lot of stress and stuff like that. But it was nice, was a good outing. Not in a good way with the amount of overs we fielded. But then still, rolled my arm for a few overs, batted for a while. Could have converted it for a bigger score, but then I'm happy. The shoulder feels much better now."

They played better cricket, I got to give credit to that - Riyan Parag

The game between East Zone and North Zone ended in a draw, with the latter qualifying for the semi-finals on the basis of their first-innings lead.

Riyan Parag, who scored 39 runs and registered figures of 1/78, lauded the performance of North Zone and said that his team could have done a better job. He elaborated:

"They played better cricket, I got to give credit to that. I feel we could have done better in the first innings while bowling but then we should have got at least close to like 350 and then try to restrict it.

"But once we did not do that, they had the lead of around 200 runs. Then, just the batters batted really well and just took the game away from us and the last day was just formality, I think, for them to get their milestones."

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Riyan Parag eyes Australia tour comeback

Parag further said that he is eyeing a T20I comeback for the upcoming Australia tour, and if he gets snubbed, he would go back on a domestic cricket grind. He stated:

"I was in the T20 set-up, then took a break for the shoulder [injury], and stuff like that happened. Ranji [Trophy] is coming in, then the Australia tour is coming in; if I get selected there, I do that. Otherwise, I go back to domestic and do what I've been doing for the last two to three years. Be top-scoring every single game. Have a good IPL and play for the country again."