‘Ex-cricketers, commentators tweeting about me…’: Riyan Parag's direct reply to critics, says ‘just DM me’
Riyan Parag said former cricketers and commentators should text him personally instead of posting stuff on social media.
Rajasthan Royals have shared a video of a sentimental and determined Riyan Parag speaking out against his critics and trolls. The Assam all-rounder has struggled in the IPL but is still a young player with plenty of talent. Apart from the sky-high potential that he carries, Parag also possesses the quality of standing up for himself against the constant criticism he receives from fans and pundits on social media.
The RR Twitter account shared a video with the caption: “Trolled and tested but tough as ever. This is Riyan Parag: Raw and real.” The video opens with cricket analyst and pundit Joy Bhattacharjya having a dig at Parag, claiming Rajasthan played with five bowlers, five batters, and Parag.
Parag then speaks to the camera about his thoughts on the criticism he receives. “People pay their hard-earned money to come and watch us perform, not play. Us not performing, them hating, I understand.”
The 21-year-old all-rounder said former cricketers and commentators should text him personally instead of posting stuff on social media.
“But verified accounts, ex-cricketers, commentators, when they are posting about this on social media when they are taking out time to tweet about me, you can just text me. I would honestly just love that, because if anyone can just DM me and say ‘Hey, I know this is how you play cricket, but if you do this, you might have a better chance of performing,’” said the all-rounder from Assam.
VIDEO: Riyan Parag lashes out at ex-cricketers, commentators for criticism on social media
Parag hasn’t enjoyed the greatest start to his IPL career since his debut in 2019. However, he has shown flashes of his brilliance which is why RR have faith in him. But the right-handed batter, who also bowls handy leg-spin hasn’t been spared online, where his outspoken and outgoing nature has made him an easy target for trolls.
‘Wanted to play against Virat Kohli’s RCB': Parag
Parag opened up about the struggles of being dropped this IPL season, in which he only played 7 matches. “There were two games I was really looking forward to this year, one was Mumbai, and one was RCB, and I didn’t play both,” said Parag. He was replaced by Dhruv Jurel in the RR lineup, and the UP wicketkeeper grabbed the opportunity with both hands scoring at a strike-rate of over 170.
“Everything was sorted, I was fully ready, I was preparing very hard before the game. I was very very disappointed not to go to Bangalore, cause that’s a team I love playing against. I look up to Virat so much and sharing the field with him is obviously very big for me. Beating them is a joy for me. But then you have to go back to the hotel, look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve been left out,” said Parag.
Parag holds the record for the youngest player to score a half-century in the IPL. He wasn’t used by RR this tournament with the ball, but he spoke about the influence and help he gets from teammate R Ashwin. He was also unapologetic about his outgoing nature on social media, saying it was about his life and not his cricket, and while people may not understand that, he has no regrets about it.
The Assamese player, who was part of India’s U-19 World Cup-winning team in 2018, was still optimistic about his ambitions. “My goal right now is to get a call-up to the India A squad,” he said. On current form, Parag will be aware that he needs to do more but he has time on his side and the consistent faith of the RR team behind him. After some lacklustre seasons, he will want to leave a mark on the cricket landscape in the near future.
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