​‘An Extra Advantage’: Irfan Pathan Reveals Riyan Parag Will Get Many More Chances for the Indian Cricket Team

Cricketer-turned-analyst Irfan Pathan has shared why Riyan Parag will be difficult to ignore in upcoming matches for India. The Men in Blue competed in the second match of their T20I series against Sri Lanka yesterday, July 28.

Following the match’s conclusion, Irfan opined the 22-year-old would get plenty more opportunities because of his bowling skills. He shared his opinion on X, saying, “You will see Riyan Parag getting many chances due to his bowling ability.”

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The second T20I saw Riyan showcase his prowess with the ball at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The young all-rounder bowled with an economy of 7.50 against the hosts while failing to find a scalp.

Speaking further in his post, Irfan Pathan also explained what made Riyan Parag special and why he would be an ideal consideration for the team. Talking about how it was rare to see a top-order batter also perform bowling duties in India, he wrote, “As a top-order batsman, not many in the country have the ability to roll their arm over. This is where Riyan Parag will get an extra advantage and rightly so.”

Irfan Pathan’s bold words for Riyan Parag attracted a ton of attention from fans on X. One of them asked about candidates who had a skillset similar to Riyan’s and wrote, “What about Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, both can bowl.”

“They will get their chances regularly too. I like their skill and attitude on the field,” replied Irfan.

Others agreed to the cricket analyst’s praise for Irfan Pathan and wrote, “Riyan Parag is a good find. He is a hard working lad.”

Another said, “It’s great to see Riyan Parag getting many opportunities due to his bowling ability.

“His fielding is good too,” added one more fan.

Initially, India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team’s captain Suryakumar Yadav faced intense scrutiny for a tactical decision in the T20I opener on July 27. The coach and skipper had decided to play Riyan Parag over Sanju Samson, a decision that just didn’t sit too well with fans.

The tactical call was made even after Gambhir had often described the Kerala batter as an ‘undroppable’ asset in the past. The decision, however, barely had any effect on India’s performance as the Men in Blue began their tour with a 43-run victory. Parag failed to impress, having scored just seven runs in six deliveries.

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Sanju Samson was added in the playing 11 for the second T20I with Rishabh Pant being dropped for the Kerala batter. Riyan Parag remained in the team as he helped curb Sri Lanka to a humble tally of 161 at a loss of nine wickets.

In the second half, Samson endured a shocking dismissal from Maheesh Theekshana that saw him depart for a golden duck. However, a nine-ball 22 from Hardik Pandya ensured India’s 2-0 series victory over Sri Lanka.