Assam batter Riyan Parag silenced his critics with a terrific all-round show in the recently concluded Deodhar Trophy for East Zone. Parag, who had an underwhelming IPL 2023, displayed his batting prowess in the Deodhar Trophy and ended up as the leading run-getter of the tournament. He smashed 354 runs in 5 matches at an astonishing average of 88.50.
Parag played an attacking brand of cricket and smashed 23 sixes during the tournament to display his power-hitting ability. He also did well with the ball and ended up claiming 11 wickets.
He also played a valiant 95-run knock in the final but didn’t get much support from the other end as East Zone lost to South Zone by 45 runs in a 329 chase.
Parag, who has often called batting maestro Virat Kohli his idol, revealed advice from the former India captain during his rough patch in the Indian Premier League.
“Mai puri baat nahi bata paunga (I cannot tell you the exact conversation). He told me ‘something that has worked for half a year cannot be wrong after a few failures. What happens in the IPL is that the tournament goes on so fast that after failing two games, you start to question yourself. Everyone makes mistakes and I have made tons of them. Two-three games don’t go your way and you feel (the need) to change your process and work ethic,” Parag told Indian Express.
The Assamese all-rounder failed to make a mark in IPL 2023 as he scored only 78 runs in seven games and picked up only one wicket.
The 21-year-old said that Kohli advised that it’s not necessary to change the process if things don’t get in your favour.
“It was him telling me that ‘take the reality check and accept that this is a bad phase but it doesn’t mean that you need to change the process that has been working for you’,” he adds.
Parag further talked about the departments in which he has worked hard to improve his game and is now trying to get consistency in his performances.
“I have worked a lot on my batting. I am trying to take the game deep. I have become more mature on and off the field. I have done a lot of bowling as well. I think a lot of work has been put into my skill, and the results are showing now. I think I was a little reckless a few years back. Now I am learning the tricks of the trade,” he says, adding that ‘the biggest challenge for any cricketer is consistency.”
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