Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Riyan Parag proved his worth to the franchise after being promoted to bat at the No. 4 spot against Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match on Sunday. Parag scored a 29-ball 43 while orchestrating a 93-run stand with skipper Sanju Samson, who scored 82 off 52. While Samson was the focal point of Rajasthan's batting, Parag did well playing second fiddle to the skipper. The young all-rounder, however, has struggled for support from fans, and he admitted that it's all down to his character.
In a video shared by the IPL on social media, Parad delved into his 'character', as he admitted that it's tough for people to support him. But, the young all-rounder remains unfazed by online criticism.
"It's tough to support someone like me. I am a different character, I do things a different way. I couldn't care less to be honest, if I think I am happy in my mind, if I think I've prepared well and giving myself the best shot to go out there and perform, I am happy. It's tough but they've (RR) stood by me and hopefully I can repay them," Parag said.
There remains plenty of chatter around the Royals star but he has found a way to shut the outside noise and focus on the task at hand.
"There are a lot of opinions about me, a lot of chat about me. But when I play domestic cricket, I don't listen to them. It's true that you have a side ear to what everybody is saying but that's good and bad. You don't have to let that affect you. No matter who says what, If I don't truly believe in it, I don't think that really matters," he further said.