Riyan Parag spills the truth behind his unexpected Team India outing: '350 overs played, but not televised'

Riyan Parag marked his India debut in July earlier this year, when he was chosen for the T20I squad against Zimbabwe. The talented young cricketer continued to impress as he was also selected for the ODIs against Sri Lanka in August, where he made his debut in the fifty-over format. Although known for his batting prowess, Parag turned heads with his impressive bowling abilities, surprising many in the cricketing world.

During the first T20I of the series against Sri Lanka, he registered phenomenal figures of 3/5; he also picked three wickets on his ODI debut against the same side. Parag's impressive outings with the ball were a welcome change in the Indian setup, with the new team management, spearheaded by head coach Gautam Gambhir, stressing on the need for part-time bowlers in the side. In fact, even captain Rohit Sharma rolled his arm during the ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Parag, however, insisted that bowling isn't a new addition to his arsenal. The Assam youngster has been a regular contributor with the ball for his state side in domestic cricket.

“Everyone thinks I've especially worked on my bowling. But I've taken wickets in domestic cricket. I have bowled around 350 overs every season,” Parag told YouTube channel Sports with Ravish.

“No one sees that because it isn't televised. So, it has been going on for a long time. Because I genuinely want to do that. But now, when I bowled for India and in the IPL, it got highlighted more. But I haven't done anything extra on that,” he added.

Parag was picked for the Indian team following his consistent performances in the 2024 Indian Premier League with Rajasthan Royals. He ended as the tournament's third-highest run-getter, scoring 573 in 16 matches. He had four half-centuries to his name and batted at a strike rate close to 150.

Riyan Parag is currently playing for India A in the Duleep Trophy. He was selected in the playing XI for the first round of the tournament and took the field on Day 1 against India B. Shubman Gill, the captain of India A, was also Parag's skipper when the latter made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in July.