Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith showers praise on 'special talent' Riyan Parag

Ace Australia batsman, Steve Smith recently expressed his eagerness to watch young Assam-based all-rounder, Riyan Parag in action during the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

Smith joined New Zealand leg spinner Ish Sodhi on a podcast organised by the Rajasthan Royals in which the Australian spoke about his association with the Royals and even showered praise on youngsters such as Parag, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Smith has led the Rajasthan Royals in the past editions of the IPL, but will be leading the side from the beginning of a new season for the first time when IPL 2020 commences later this year.

The Australian star spoke about out on what it meant for him to be a part of the Rajasthan Royals, stating that he loves to be a part of the setup.

"It's a terrific setup, I've been with a lot of IPL teams, but I enjoy the Royals most, it's a real family vibe," said Smith.

During the conversation, the duo also discussed about how exciting it is for youngsters to rub shoulders with some big names in the Royals' squad. Smith brought up the example of young all-rounder Riyan Parag, who made quite a statement with his skill last season.

"One great example is Riyan Parag, the 18-year-old kid carrying around his teddy bears last season. But when he went out and played, he played with some freedom and won a few games off his own bat at the age of 17. The tricks he's got, it's incredibly special," the RR captain added.

Smith also made mention of Samson's rise through the ranks and the prospect of playing alongside southpaw Jaiswal, who only recently played a big part in the India U19's team campaign at the U19 World Cup.