Riyan Parag had an extraordinary Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where the young all-rounder showcased exceptional consistency with the bat and chipped in with crucial wickets too. It wasn’t just the SMAT, the last edition of Vijay Hazare Trophy saw him score 552 runs in 9 matches and over 350 runs in the Deodhar Trophy too.
Assam reached the semis of this edition of SMAT and Riyan ended as leading run-getter in the tournament with 510 runs in 10 matches, including seven half-centuries on the trot. His strike rate was over 180 in the tournament and he also chipped in with 11 wickets with his off-spin.
The youngster has often copped a lot of flak on social media for his below-par show in the IPL but he told CricketNext last year that he has now “shut the outside noise” and is focussing only on cricket. Cricket runs through the veins of his family as his father Parag Das himself has played for Assam in the domestic circuit and reckons it’s the fixed batting position for Assam which has allowed Riyan to express himself.
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“In domestic, he is consistently playing at number 4 which is giving him enough time to get into the groove and plan the innings in his way,” says Parag in a chat with CricketNext.
Is No.4 ideal for Riyan?
“100% he should bat at number 4. He is a kind of player who needs a bit of time to settle in. Once he gets his eye in, he can take the match deep and win it for his side. He can play according to the situation,” adds Parag.
Domestic numbers yet to be replicated in IPL
While Riyan has been making headlines with his performances for Assam across formats, the 21-year-old hasn’t really been able to replicate it in the IPL. In the 54 matches that he has played so far, Riyan has only scored 600 runs along with a couple of fifties to his name. The numbers with the bat are surely forgettable for the Rajasthan Royals player but Parag reckons that it has more to do with fluctuating batting position.
“IPL is a different ball game altogether. In domestic, he has been playing consistently at number 4 which is helpful in giving him a good idea about stitching his innings. Basically, playing at one fixed position gives any player an opportunity to plan the innings in a certain manner.”
“Last year, he played a couple of games at number 4 (in IPL) but wasn’t able to do well. Eventually, his batting position began to fluctuate. As I said a fixed batting position gives a player a good idea about planning his innings and same is the case with Riyan,” says Parag.
‘My goal is to play as an all-rounder for India’
Riyan had earlier said that his main aim is to play as an all-rounder for India and not just as a pure batter. The Assam cricketer has been focusing on both the areas but Parag believes that there is still some scope for improvement in the bowling department.
“Look if you want to be an all-rounder, you will have to maintain that balance between bat and ball. He is doing decently well with both. I just feel there is some scope of improvement in the bowling bit. I watched the last game and he bowled some very good deliveries. So, if he is able to do that consistently, he will get success in that department as well,” says Parag.
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