Former cricketers Aakash Chopra and Dale Steyn have questioned Rajasthan Royal’s strategy of persisting with Riyan Parag, despite his poor record in the Indian Premier League.
Riyan Parag averages just 17.37, having scored 330 runs in 22 innings, with just one fifty to his name in his Indian Premier League career. He was dismissed for a golden duck against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday. Rajasthan Royals lost the match by seven wickets. While analyzing the match on Espncricinfo, Aakash Chopra questioned Riyan Parag’s selection ahead of Shivam Dube in the playing XI. He said,
“Why don’t they go to Shivam Dube, man? Riyan Parag has done nothing, next to nothing, bowls with a very strange action [that too, only] one over. Why not Shivam Dube? He can bat, has played for India. You bought him for 4.5 crores, what is he doing on the benches? I have got no idea.”
#IPL2021
Shivam Dube
6 matches. 145 runs. Highest 46. SR 117
Riyan Parag
8 innings. 84 runs. Highest 25. SR. 127
Tewatia
7 innings. 97 runs. Highest 40. SR. 111.Dube ‘didn’t perform at all’? https://t.co/Obgug9tZFj
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 27, 2021
Riyan Parag hasn’t really done anything: Dale Steyn
Former pacer Dale Steyn too has voiced Aakash Chopra’s thoughts. He stated that Riyan Parag hasn’t done anything substantial in his Indian Premier League career. Steyn said
“Riyan Parag hasn’t really done anything. You know, there’s nothing that I can remember other than some fancy celebrations (chuckles). Kumar Sangakkara must really see something in this youngster that he hasn’t shown yet.
“I love Kumar and I can trust him with my entire life so if he sees something in that young man, I am going to let it be. But Shivam Dube is a great player, he’s sitting on the sidelines there and probably chomping at the bits,” he concluded.
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