Watch: Be patriotic before crying - S Sreesanth's fiery dig at Riyan Parag over T20 World Cup 2024 statement

Former Indian pacer and commentator S Sreesanth has taken a brutal dig at the young batting sensation Riyan Parag for his controversial statement after the Indian cricket team won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on Saturday, June 29.

Actually, before the start of the T20 World Cup 2024, Parag had openly said that he had no interest in the tournament and that he would not watch the actions. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder was on fire with the bat in the IPL 2024, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer with 573 runs in 16 games in the tournament.

Riyan Parag slammed by S Sreesanth for 'Unpatriotic' T20 World Cup 2024 remarks

Despite this, Parag was not picked for the T20 World Cup 2024, as the Indian selectors went with players like Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had an off-season.

After the IPL 2024, in an interaction with the Bharat Army, the Assam star was asked to pick his top four teams for the T20 World Cup 2024, and he straightly said that he has nothing to do with the mega event.

Riyan Parag had told The Bharat Army, “It will be a biased answer (prediction on the top four teams), but to be very honest, I don't even want to watch the World Cup. I'll just see who wins it at the end, and I'll be happy. When I play in the World Cup, I will think about the top four and all of that.”

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Parag had to face backlash from the fans for his statement, with many saying he has an attitude problem. Now, the two-time World Cup winner Sreesanth has lashed out at the youngster for making such an irresponsible and unprofessional statement after India’s historic T20 World Cup 2024 win.

Sharing his views on the sentiments of young players like Parag regarding their non-selection for the World Cup, Sreesanth emphasized the importance of patriotism and support for the national team, regardless of personal disappointments.

'Be patriotic before being a cricketer': Sreesanth blasts Riyan Parag

Slamming Parag, the former Indian pacer further highlighted the need for young cricketers to prioritize their love for the country and the sport over their individual disappointments or non-selections. He urged the players to back the selectors' decisions and to wholeheartedly support the chosen squad for any tournament or series.

Sreesanth stressed the significance of unity and encouragement for the team selected by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stressing the spirit of patriotism and the love for cricket. He has openly told Parag to become patriotic first and then expect to be selected for the national team.

Sreesanth said on-air during the final: “Some youngsters have also said that they will not watch the World Cup because they have not been selected. I would say that first you should be patriotic, then yes, you should be a cricket lover. But those who have selected the team, they should be supported with all their heart, mind and passion.”

Watch here how Sreesanth targetted Riyan Parag:

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