'Persistence over Perception'- RR royally rewarded by Riyan Parag's Jaipur jubilation
When Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson recalled fans even back home in Kerala inquiring 'When Riyan Parag will come good', it puts into perspective what the 22-year-old batting all-rounder and the franchise have endured over the past few years.
Parag's graph is reminiscent of NBA legend Lebron James and how he was on the cover of the renowned magazine 'Sports Illustrated' at 17, touted as the successor to Michael Jordan. And a teenaged Lebron full of swag, unaware of what the sporting society had in store, then tattooed 'Chosen One' on his back.
Soon, fans and the media turned that into 'Chosen One becomes Frozen One' for every minute failure of his. While the vitriol for Parag hadn't reached such stratospheric levels, the Assam cricketer faced more backlash and resentment in his teenage and early 20s than most could envision.
His talent was apparent, but the on-field antics combined with a nonchalant and in-your-face attitude rubbed fans the wrong way, especially when the runs were few and far between.
Flip it to the other side of the coin, and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) have faced heavy criticism and even some ridicule for persisting with the now-22-year-old despite a barren five-year run. Parag's retention across two mega auctions, when he had scored only two half-centuries in 54 IPL outings, had fans scratching their head in disbelief.
Yet, amidst numerous perceptions from the outside world, the franchise stuck to its guns, waiting with bated breath for Parag's redemption.
Riyan Parag 2.0: Off-season Takeoff to Jaipur Landing
Riyan Parag's flight took off in domestic cricket after another dismal showing in IPL 2023, leading even the skeptics into hopefuls.
The youngster topped the run-scoring charts with 354 runs at an average of 88.50 in the Deodhar Trophy, yet questions lingered around his T20 prowess. Parag answered that bell by leading all batters in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 510 runs at an average of 85 and a strike rate of 182.
Yet and still, the Assam batter had to do it on the biggest stage, the IPL, to silence the doubters and naysayers.
Cut to the present, and Parag nearly welcomed the 'Here we go again' syndrome when he chipped his first delivery of the IPL 2024 season back to Krunal Pandya to record a golden duck. Yet, divine intervention in the form of Samson coming in the bowler's way gave him an escape path, and the youngster took the opportunity with both hands.
Parag scored a well-compiled 43 and helped RR post an insurmountable total for the Lucknow Super Giants. Yet, that was just the appetizer for the meal to follow in the side's second outing against the Delhi Capitals.
From the LSG 'Appetizer' to the DC 'Meal'
Riyan Parag's valuable knock against LSG seemingly settled his nerves despite some still wondering if the innings was a 'One-time aberration'. The defiant batter left no doubts about his resurgence in his second stint of IPL 2024 against DC.
Coming in with the side in dire straits at 30/2 in the final over of the powerplay, Parag displayed tremendous maturity by getting his eye in. He was on a run-a-ball 26 and well-set when the time to assert his dominance and new-found confidence had arrived.
It was payback time for all the detractors as Parag vaulted into top gear by scoring 24 off the next eight deliveries he faced to reach his half-century.
Parag punctured the exclamation point to his belligerent innings by smashing 25 runs off ace pacer Anrich Nortje to finish on an incredible 84* off 45. Through his blistering knock, he entertained the home crowd in Jaipur that stuck with him during his struggles with effortless pulls, astutely educated glides, and other silky strokes from the rising star.
It was the Rajasthan Royals' statement through Parag that the 3 P's - Persistence, Perseverance, and Patience over 'Perception' do royally pay off in time as the talented batter finally announced his grand arrival to the IPL.
Final Piece of the Puzzle: How Riyan Parag and the Royals Connected Loose Ends
Despite the Rajasthan Royals retaining faith in Riyan Parag and his abilities, something was preventing both the player and the franchise from achieving the ultimate goal.
Could it be Parag's general demeanor? Could it be his versatility and fitness? Could it be the Royals' usage of his skill set? Well, the 'all of the above' option worked wonders for this mysterious puzzle as it usually does in an entrance examination.
The 22-year-old worked meticulously during the off-season on his fitness, strength, and conditioning, with the proof of the pudding being his fighting symptoms of flu over the past three days to play the knock against DC.
"I have worked very hard, the last 3 days I was in bed, I was on painkillers, I just got up today and I am very happy," said Parag during the presentation.
RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara has constantly spoken about the franchise placing their trust in Parag to follow the examples of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.
Among the several noticeable qualities in Parag's innings were his new-found maturity and range-hitting. Sangakkara had recently spoken about the change in the youngster's personality, which was more even-keel this year, with several others from the cricket fraternity praising Parag's renewed focus.
The 22-year-old further detailed his behind-the-scenes work on playing both sides of the wicket and using his power game to the full and short deliveries.
"I think it's a result of a lot of practice behind the scenes. I think it's not about the bowler but the ball he is bowling and I practiced a lot of those balls and I could execute a few of them tonight. I always have my options ready on both sides of the wicket. That's what I've been working on lately and I just back myself. I know I've got the power and the strength to dig out yorker balls or even hit sixes off the short balls," said Parag.
While Parag did everything he could to improve almost all facets of his game and personality, RR blessed him by playing him at No.4 in both matches.
The critics have been quick to shoot down the Assam batter with comparisons to other young cricketers who have taken the giant leap, despite it being a classic case of comparing apples to oranges.
Parag often batted exclusively at No.5 and below throughout his IPL career, leading to very few deliveries and varying game situations.
The right-handed batter walked out at No.4 only once in the five seasons before IPL 2024 and played at No.6 and below in 34 of his 46 innings. RR have finally realized their folly and rewarded Parag with the No.4 position in the batting order, and the results have been there to see in the first two games.
Finally, the RR-Riayn Parag story feels like a movie that meandered through its screenplay for most of its run-time before striking a fairytale climax and a potentially thrilling second part.
How Part 2 pans out will depend on Riyan Parag and RR not resting on their laurels and evolving from the past learnings to deliver a blockbuster season.