Riyan Parag targets an international debut in the near future after a memorable performance in the recent IPL 2024. The young batting all-rounder produced his career-best performance with Rajasthan Royals but failed to make India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
The 22-year-old Riyan played a crucial role in leading Sanju Samson’s Royals to Qualifier 2 in the 17th edition of the tournament. Parag’s name emerged in talks ahead of the squad selection for the World Cup but the Guwahati-born batter had to wait for his chance.
Parag is not a stranger to Indian cricket having made headlines with his performances in U19 World Cup 2018 and in domestic tournaments for Assam. He enjoyed his best season in the IPL by scoring 573 runs at a strike rate of almost 150.
Speaking at a sporting event in Mumbai, Parag talked about his belief in making India debut in the near future. He stated that he will make his debut one day for sure and it’s only a matter of time.
“At some point, you’ll have to take me, right? So that is my belief, I’m going to play for India,” Riyan Parag told PTI. “I don’t really care when. That is me believing in myself. That is not me being arrogant. That is what my plan was with my dad (former Railways and Assam player Parag Das), when I started playing cricket when I was like 10-years-old. We (a joint project) were going to play for India regardless of anything.
“Whether it’s the next tour, whether it’s a tour in six months, whether it’s a tour in one year. I don’t really put my thought behind when I should play. That is the selector’s job, that is other people’s job.”
Parag is expected to make his India debut along with Abhishek Sharma during India’s next bilateral T20I series against Zimbabwe after the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.