New Delhi: Riyan Parag reacted pretty normally and is focused on his job ahead after the Rajasthan Royals star got maiden India call-up for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe starting next month. Parag was one of the four new faces in the Indian team as the BCCI announced a 15-member side on Monday. Besides Parag, Sunrisers Hyderabad duo of Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Reddy and Chennai Super Kings pacer Tushar Deshpande also received India call-ups for the first time.
Notably, Parag became the second Assamese cricketer after Uma Chhetry to get an Indian call-up. Chhetry played for India women. One of the best talents on offer at the moment in the country, Parag was rewarded for his exploits in the last Indian Premier League with Rajasthan Royals.
“He is pretty normal. He doesn’t react much. It’s impossible to get a reaction from Riyan as he doesn’t express much. He likes to keep his feelings within himself,” Riyan’s father Parag Das told India.com in an exclusive interaction soon after the team came out.
Riyan Parag, Team India pic.twitter.com/uPLU5keGWh
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) June 24, 2024
Having made his IPL debut in 2019, Parag’s breakthrough season came earlier this year when he amassed 573 runs in 15 matches with four fifties at a strike rate of 149.22. His career-best of 84 not out also came in IPL 2024. “Definitely, it feels good when your son gets a chance to play for India,” Parag Das, Riyan’s father
“Whatever dream and aim we had from the start, it got fulfilled today. This is the day Riyan played cricket for,” he added. For the unknown, Riyan is currently training in Nagpur on a personal level and is believed to join the India camp directly in Mumbai.
The Harare Sports Club will host all the games between India and Zimbabwe. The first match is on July 6, followed by July 7, July 10, July 13 and July 14. All the matches will start at 4:30 PM IST.
