April 11 (Punjab Khabarnama) : Former Indian captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar hinted at an Indian team call-up for Riyan Parag after his impressive knock against the Gujarat Titans on Wednesday. He also advised the Rajasthan Royals batter to maintain his consistency throughout the season and make the most of each opportunity that he gets.
Parag put on a brilliant show with the bat alongside Sanju Samson against GT to post a challenging 196-run total on the board. The right-hander scored 76 runs off just 48 deliveries, which was also his third fifty of the season as he climbed to second spot in the Orange Cap list.
The 2024 IPL season is proving to be a major turnaround for the 22-year-old batter from Assam after he had failed to make a mark in the previous seasons since his debut in 2019. Parag had only managed to score two fifties in five seasons. However, driving on the momentum from the domestic season, he was able to turn the tide in his favour in the IPL as well.
Parag, who is only behind Virat Kohli in the Orange Cap list, was lauded by Gavaskar for making the most of the opportunity. “Riyan Parag made Gujarat pay for those lapses. That’s what cricket is all about. You get an opportunity and you make the most of it. And he has made the most of it. He is playing some unbelievable cricket,” the legendary former Indian skipper told Star Sports after GT’s win over RR.
Gavaskar also advised the left-hander to keep batting the way he has been after already having enormous success this season. He also praised his fielding and bowling capabilities. He stated, “Not just in the IPL, but right through the season, he has had enormous success. He is someone that the selection committee has got an eye on. And so all he needs to do is keep on batting the way he has been. His fielding, we all know about it, he is an excellent fielder. And he can bowl a few of those dribbly-dobbies, I call them mixed pakodas.”
The Royals lost both their openers early in the powerplay which led to Parag’s rise to the occasion. The left-hander demolished the GT bowling line-up, ensuring the team reached a competitive total. However, despite his valiant efforts, RR ended up on the losing side.