Ex-BCCI Selector Calls Riyan Parag The One To Watch Out For. Divides Opinions
With 354 runs and 11 wickets in the bag, Riyan Parag was named player of the recently concluded Deodhar Trophy season.
Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has made head turn with his blistering performance with the bat during the recently-concluded Deodhar Trophy. Â After back-to-back centuries in the quarter-final and semi-final, Parag smashed a brilliant 95 in a losing cause, with East Zone chasing 329 against South Zone in the final. With 354 runs and 11 wickets in the bag, Parag was named player of the tournament, despite his team losing in the final. Former India selector Saba Karim feels Parag is the youngster to watch out for in the future, especially white-ball cricket.
"I am sticking my neck out on this!! Riyan Parag is the youngster to watch out for in white ball cricket!! Very few can match the power he generates. Well played young man," Karim tweeted.
I am sticking my neck out on this!! Riyan Parag is the youngster to watch out for in white ball cricket!! Very few can match the power he generates. Well played young man#deodhartrophy@ParagRiyan pic.twitter.com/7QjssKryYb
— Syed Saba Karim (@SyedSabaKarim5) August 3, 2023
While some fans agreed with Karim, others had a different opinion about him.
No doubt he has potential. Just needs to do it in bigger stages and be consistent
— Shubham (@Shubham31231448) August 4, 2023
Lol
— Rushabh Patwa (@dodo_rp301985) August 4, 2023
Ghanta... bahot hi below average cricketer hai ye...
— Rohit Chaurasia (@RC96908961) August 4, 2023
Parag was on the receiving end of some harsh criticism after he had a miserable outing in the last edition of IPL and was brutally trolled by the fans and former cricketers for his flop show.
The 21-year-old, who made his debut in 2019, could only score 78 runs in 7 matches in IPL 2023 at a strike rate of 118.18.
He also had a disappointing Emerging Asia Cup campaign, which saw India lose out to Pakistan in the final.
Parag has already seen some unparalleled highs, like being part of an U-19 World Cup win in 2018, and some lows like the one at IPL 2023, where he was dropped after a series of poor outings.
His attitude has often been questioned, but his recent performances show that he doesn't take anything for granted.