Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa commended Riyan Parag for his impressive display with the bat during Rajasthan Royals' opening match against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League 2024, held in Jaipur on March 24th.
Uthappa praised Parag for demonstrating his batting prowess instead of merely relying on words, as he had done previously. Parag, taking on the role of No. 4 batsman, capitalized on the opportunity and formed a crucial partnership with RR captain Sanju Samson, propelling their team to set a challenging target of 194 runs for LSG.
Despite the initial setback with the failure of RR's renowned opening pair, Jos Butler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, it was the resilient partnership between Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag that anchored RR's innings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, culminating in a vital 93-run alliance.
Uthappa commended Parag for his pivotal innings against LSG, applauding his shift in approach in the IPL. "It's gratifying to witness Riyan Parag's strong start in the tournament. Previously, he tended to speak more and perform less on the field. This time, he's allowing his bat to do the talking," remarked Uthappa to JioCinema.
Further discussing Parag's performance, Uthappa attributed his inspiration to his teammates at Rajasthan Royals. "I believe he drew motivation from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has diligently honed his skills at the RR academy over the past few years. The success Yashasvi achieved in the previous IPL has motivated several players to emulate his dedication. Riyan is a prime example of this determination," added Uthappa.
Riyan Parag has showcased remarkable form in domestic cricket, notably amassing 410 runs in his last five matches for Assam, including notable innings of 116 and 155 runs against Kerala and Chhattisgarh respectively. However, his performance in the last two IPL seasons had been lackluster, managing only 78 runs in seven IPL 2023 matches and a total of 183 runs in 17 IPL 2022 matches, underscoring the significance of a strong IPL 2024 campaign for him.
