Rajasthan Royals’ assistant coach, Shane Bond, lauds the exceptional talent of Riyan Parag, comparing him to the early career of Suryakumar Yadav, who transformed into one of the most explosive T20 batsmen globally after joining Mumbai Indians years ago. Parag, aged 22, seamlessly transitioned his stellar domestic cricket performance into IPL success, delivering two impressive half-centuries in three games, contributing significantly to Rajasthan’s victories.
In the recent match against Mumbai Indians, Parag anchored the Royals’ chase, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 39 balls, showcasing his prowess with five fours and three sixes. Bond, known for his role in nurturing bowling talents during his tenure with Mumbai Indians, highlights Parag’s maturity as a finisher in IPL despite his youth, contrasting with other teams’ reliance on experienced international players for similar roles.
Trent Boult said: “He (Parag) sort of reminds me a little bit of Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), who came to Mumbai a few years ago. He looks like that – he has got extreme talent. He has just matured as a cricketer, even though he is only 22.”
“He (Parag) has had an outstanding domestic season, obviously, batting up the order. The trade we made with Devdutt (Padikkal), bringing Avesh (Khan) in, that was to put Riyan up into a position which was probably better suited.”
Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav, currently recuperating from surgery, embarked on a similar trajectory, initially with Kolkata Knight Riders before returning to Mumbai Indians in 2018, where he ascended to become the world’s top-ranked T20 batsman. Bond’s comparison underscores Parag’s potential to evolve into a formidable force in T20 cricket.
Boult further added: “Riyan started so young, you forget that he was 17 or something, playing in one of the toughest spots in a batting line-up of No 6. You look at the characters who finish games around the IPL, they are generally pretty experienced guys.”
“(The) Tim Davids, (the) Dave Millers… these are high quality players who play international cricket. Riyan has been tasked with that for a number of years. He is still a very young man, but he has got this wealth of experience behind him now.
“We are getting the best of him. The investment that RR have made of him, it’s starting to reap the rewards. It is pretty exciting what he could offer for the rest of the season for us.”
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