Ravichandran Ashwin defends Riyan Parag against ‘overhyped’ criticism

Assam’s Riyan Parag has hogged the limelight in the ongoing Ranji Trophy with his whirlwind batting. Recently, he scored 155 runs from 87 balls against Chhattisgarh with the help of two sixes and 11 fours. It was the second-fastest century in Ranji Trophy history.

However, unlike in the Ranji Trophy, Parag’s performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) leave much to be desired. He is often criticised by several fans and experts as an ‘overhyped’ player.

As per Ashwin, Parag is still a young player ‘who is getting better’.

“Riyan Parag is frequently criticised as an overhyped cricketer after just seeing his IPL performances. We forget that he is a youngster. He is still a young player who is getting better. Parag made useful contributions in the Syed Mushtaq Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy and slammed 155 for Assam against Chattisgarh in the first match of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season,” said Ashwin on his official YouTube Channel.

“He scored 155 off 87 balls. He didn’t play for the sake of playing T20 cricket. He was pushed into that situation. All the batters on the other end fell like flies, and he took charge of his own hands and played such a knock,” the veteran off-spinner added.