Tried to Copy Smriti Mandhana's Style But Didn't Work, Reveals Riyan Parag

The young cricketer from Assam Riyan Parag grabbed eyeballs playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the recently concluded Indian Premier League. His composure and ability to bat according to the situation made his one of the finds of the season. Parag, who has been in headlines since then, has admitted that he tried to copy Smriti Mandhana‘s batting style but it didn’t work.

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Tried to copy Mandhana but failed: Parag

Although Rajasthan Royals had a poor run in the tournament finishing at the seventh spot, Riyan Parag made a long-lasting impression. He played seven games in this season scoring 160 runs at an average of 32 with a good strike-rate. He also played a match-winning knock of 47 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders during a crucial time when his side was struggling. Parag shared two crucial partnerships to stun the entire Eden Gardens crowd.

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Speaking about his inspirations in cricket, Riyan Parag picked his father as his first idol along with Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. However, he stunned when Parag revealed star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana as his idol. The 17-year-old also added that he tried to copy her style but failed to do so. Parag is one of the few male cricketers who admit of being an ardent fan of women cricketers.

“My dad is one of them (idols). He has to be the first one. Then there’s Sachin (Tendulkar) sir and Virat Kohli. And in women’s cricket, I’ve followed Smriti Mandhana since she used to wear glasses and play with a BAS bat. I was really young then. I love the way she times the ball and caresses it through point. I’ve tried copying that as well but it didn’t work out,” Parag said.

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Furthermore, Riyan Parag admitted that this IPL has been a learning curve for him rubbing shoulders with the acclaimed cricketers. Meanwhile, Parag was a part of the young Indian cricket team that won the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2018. He will look to use all these experiences in the next season and help Rajasthan Royals bring their glory days back.

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