Riyan Parag's rise in IPL 2024: A testament to importance of domestic cricket

The youngster from Assam began his IPL resurgence scoring a 29-ball 43 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the opening match. Unlike in previous seasons, Parag didn't try to thrash the bowlers from the outset but played himself in and then attacked after being well set. He put together a match-turning 93-run stand off 59 balls with Sanju Samson, the skipper of Rajasthan Royals.

25-run takedown of Nortje

In the next game against Delhi Capitals (DC), it was his unbeaten 45-ball 84 not out which made everyone sit up and take notice. Significantly, this pressure-releasing knock from Parag came after the Royals were reeling at 36 for 3 with their top three batters dismissed cheaply. His biggest statement of the night came in the last over where he smashed South African pacer Anrich Nortje for three fours and two sixes in a 25-run takedown that not only left Delhi’s pace spearhead but the entire DC squad thunderstruck!

If this wasn’t enough, Parag's promotion to No. 4 paid big dividends for the Royals even in the next match with Mumbai Indians (MI). Chasing a modest 126, RR were in a spot of bother at 42 for 2. But Parag kept calm and his composure and confidence took the Royals to a comfortable win with an unbeaten 39-ball 54. With 181 runs in three innings, Parag became the second highest run-scorer (181 runs) in this season just 22 short of first place Virat Kohli (203 runs).

The string of impressive knocks and the maturity that Parag has displayed this IPL season marks a huge turnaround in his entire career. Parag has kicked off IPL 2024 on a resounding note, silencing his critics and earning praise from both fans and experts. This transformation has led to intense discussions about a rejuvenated Parag, now called ‘Riyan Parag 2.0’ by many of his peers, including Suryakumar Yadav.

Social media scrutiny

Not surprisingly, many are now looking for the secret Mantra that enabled Parag to achieve this turnaround. The previous seasons had seen Parag copping a lot of criticism for his inconsistency. Last season, Parag got just 78 runs in seven innings. In IPL 2022, he had scored 183 in 14 and in 2021, he could muster just 93 runs in ten innings. These were clearly disappointing returns for a player who attracted a lot of hype ever since his debut at just 17.

This time last year he had become one of the most trolled cricketers in the country, particularly during the IPL. Whether he was the product of plain hype or his talent was good enough to make it big, tended to sharply divide public opinion on the Assam youngster. Despite his young age and absence from the national team’s radar, Parag faced loads of social media scrutiny on whether he justified the hype and the fancy price tag of Rs 3.8 crore!

Most experts believe that Parag’s transformation has stemmed from his stellar performance in the domestic circuit. Playing for East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy, the inter-zonal 50-over tournament, he amassed 354 runs in five matches including two century knocks; he also picked up 11 wickets with his steady off-spin. As the top run-getter, highest six-hitter, and the third-highest wicket-taker, Parag was chosen the Player of the Tournament. He carried this rich vein of form into the Ranji Trophy, where he hammered 378 runs at an average of 75.60 in four matches, including two solid hundreds.

Seven fifties in a row

The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament further validated Parag’s exceptional talent. He was the leading run-getter with 510 runs at an amazing strike rate of 182.79! This included a fab run of seven consecutive half-centuries. In addition, he grabbed 11 wickets bowling his controlled off-spin. Given his excellence across Syed Mushtaq Ali, Duleep, Deodhar and the Ranji Trophy, Parag has recently been roped in by the BCCI's National Cricket Academy to be a part of a targeted pool of select players.

Besides leading Assam brilliantly, Parag’s sensational exploits in the domestic season can be gauged by the simple fact that he smashed 151 sixes across the Syed Mushtaq Ali, Vijay Hazare, Duleep, Deodhar and the Ranji Trophy. Most experts agree that this phenomenal success in the domestic circuit is now getting translated into Parag’s remarkable run at this year’s IPL. Gone are the days of reckless shot selection. Instead, Parag displays a more calculated approach in IPL 2024 and has focused on building partnerships, anchoring the middle order, and accelerating when needed.

The one common aspect between his domestic and IPL success is that he is batting at No. 4 – the position he batted for Assam in all three formats. Taking a cue, Rajasthan Royals promoted him up the order from the No. 6 or 7 where he played in earlier seasons. In each of the three games so far, the Royals were pegged back by early breakthroughs but in his new role at No 4, Parag has thrived and effectively turned the tide with impressive knocks. Instead of the all-out wham-bam efforts that he had to come up with as a finisher lower in the order, Parag is now able to build his innings more methodically and eventually accelerates to close his innings in a frenzy.

Significance of India's domestic circuit

Interestingly, Parag’s exceptional start in this IPL edition comes at a time when the utility and significance of India’s domestic season is being hotly debated in the cricketing fraternity. Several players who have donned national colours have often shown a reluctance to figure in domestic tourneys. In particular, the high-profile cases of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer who recently lost their annual player contracts for staying away from the domestic circuit.

But with Parag achieving success soon after a stupendous season in domestic tournaments, it bears testimony to the utility of these low-profile but useful games. His journey underscores the importance of platforms like Ranji, Deodhar, and other domestic tournaments for nurturing young talent.

Now, with the T20 World Cup 2024 just a couple of months away and beginning just a week after the end of the IPL, all eyes, including those of national selectors, are bound to be focussed on Parag. If he continues his fine start in the rest of the IPL season, Parag may well become a vital cog in Team India's middle order for years to come!