"Whoever trolled him will now consider him a role model" - Aakash Chopra lauds Riyan Parag's knock in Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 win vs Mumbai Indians
Aakash Chopra has lauded Riyan Parag for playing a match-winning knock in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) IPL 2024 clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
RR restricted MI to 125/9 after asking them to bat first in Mumbai on Monday, April 1. Parag then smashed an unbeaten 54 off 39 deliveries to help the visitors register a six-wicket win with 27 deliveries to spare to move atop the points table.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Parag as one of the standout performers in the Rajasthan Royals' win.
"He (Parag) started in Mumbai from where he left off in Jaipur. The six he hit over cover, he is batting incredibly well. I think it was the shot of the match. He showed respect to (Jasprit) Bumrah. He was playing him easily and that shows that he has time. Then he hit a six off Piyush Chawla, which means he is reading spin from the hand," he elaborated (14:00).
"Staying till the end and winning his team the match, showed maturity and his batting skill. It's once again a reinforcement that the kid has put in a lot of effort. Whoever trolled him will now consider him a role model. Whoever made memes will now sing praises in his honor," the former India opener added.
Parag walked out to bat when the Rajasthan Royals were reduced to 42/2. Although Jos Buttler was also dismissed with the team score at 48, the Assam youngster added crucial runs with Ravichandran Ashwin and Shubham Dubey to take his team over the line.
"Trent Boult loosened the Mumbai Indians' nuts and bolts" - Aakash Chopra praises the Rajasthan Royals seamer's spell
![Trent Boult dismantled the Mumbai Indians' top order. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/c1246-17120295575648-1920.jpg?w=500)
Reflecting on the Rajasthan Royals' bowling, Aakash Chopra noted that Trent Boult's early strikes put the Mumbai Indians behind the eight ball.
"Death, taxes and Trent Boult taking wickets in the first over are permanent. This time he took not one but two - Rohit Sharma with an outgoing delivery and Naman Dhir with an incoming one. Then he dismissed Dewald Brevis as well. Trent Boult loosened the Mumbai Indians' nuts and bolts," he said (10:55).
The cricketer-turned-commentator chose RR leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as the second standout performer with the ball.
"My second performer of the day is Yuzi Chahal. Chatur chalak chanchal chapal Chahal didn't pick up one but three wickets. Picking up three wickets implies you completed the job. After trying a lot, Mumbai could reach 125 in the end and those runs weren't enough to win," Chopra explained.
Boult registered figures of 3/22 in four overs, dismissing Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir and Dewald Brevis for golden ducks. Chahal got rid of Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma and Gerald Coetzee in his spell of 3/11 in four overs.