"Number four does suit me, Sanga (Sangakkara) was clear. When I joined them this time, the message was clear, that I'd bat where I did domestically. That gave me the clarity I needed."
Following Rajasthan Royals' (RR) 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, batting all-rounder Riyan Parag said that he developed a few shots while playing alongside skipper Sanju Samson.
Parag played a blitzkrieg knock as he scored 43 runs from 29 balls at a strike rate of 148.28. He smashed 1 four and 3 sixes during his time on the crease.
Parag revealed that Samson told him not to try any risky shots since the conditions was "little tougher".
"Today when batting with Sanju (Samson) bhaiya, I had developed a few shots and I was constantly trying to poke him by asking 'Sanju bhaiya, let me hit one' and he was like 'no, no, today's wicket isn't that easy'. Even though we have been practicing here, today was a little tougher, day game, ball keeping low so he was like 'no, no, not right now,'" Parag said.
He added that if Samson was not there then he would have tried playing risky shots. The 22-year-old accepted that in the first ball he was close to getting himself out against Krunal Pandya.
"If I didn't have him there, I would have tried to play that shot, it may or may not have come off, but then that element of risk goes down and you prolong your innings and get your team to a better score. Even if I had got out first ball as I was very close to against Krunal, I will be fine because I did everything right and now this is just results. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't I come back again tomorrow," he added.
Speaking after his knock Riyan said, "The main goal was to take the game deep. The ball was keeping low, then I could go big early and Sanju bhai could take it deep, which it did. My mindset has been simple, to play my game without thinking about anything else, which I did in the domestic circuit too.
"Number four does suit me, Sanga (Sangakkara) was clear. When I joined them this time, the message was clear, that I'd bat where I did domestically. That gave me the clarity I needed."
In 55 IPL matches so far, the promising all-rounder has scored just 643 runs at a poor average of 16.92, with just two half-centuries. His best score is 56*. This fine knock batting at number four could very well be the start of a game-changing season for the 22-year-old, who has been outstanding for his Assam team in state-level cricket.
In four matches of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24, Parag made 378 runs in six innings at an average of 75.6, with two centuries and a fifty. His best score was 155.
Parag also took Assam to the semi-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, ending the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 510 runs at an average of 85, with seven half-centuries. He also took 11 wickets.
