'Dare to Dream': Riyan Parag's First Reaction After Receiving Maiden India Call-up For Zimbabwe T20Is

Riyan Parag has moved a step closer to realising his India dream after receiving a maiden maiden call-up in T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against Zimbabwe. India will tour Zimbabwe after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup with the series starting from July 6 in Harare.

Also Read: Chakaravarthy Shares Cryptic Message After Being Ignored for ZIM T20Is

Parag, 22, had a memorable IPL 2024 where representing Rajasthan Royals, he scored 573 runs from 14 innings at a strike-rate of 149.21. He struck two half-centuries and a top-score of 84 not out and was crucial to RR qualifying for the playoffs.

“Dare to dream,” Parag posted on X (formerly Twitter) soon after the BCCI announced an 18-man squad for the Zimbabwe T20Is featuring his name.

During the 2023 Syed Musthaq Ali Trophy – India’s domestic T20 competition – Parag scored 510 runs for Assam and finished as the leading run-getter of the competition. He scored seven half-centuries and boasted a strike-rate of 182.79.

It was a breakout season for Parag whose had managed 600 runs in his first five seasons of IPL career.

When asked what changes he made for such a turnaround, Parag said there wasn’t anything significant and it was only a matter of time before he showed his wares.

“I didn’t make much of a change,” Parag told Hindustan Times. “Domestically, I play at No.4 for Assam and it was just a matter of time before I got into similar situations in the IPL. In the IPL, no matter who says it’s just a game, it’s a much bigger stage for the players. So, it was just about implementing what I had been doing in domestic cricket.”

“I didn’t really change my mindset or technique. It was just about a general upgrade, repeating what I had been doing, sticking to the basics, and not trying to do something extraordinary. When 50,000 people are watching you, every shot is being analysed and legends of the game are commentating, it’s very easy to try and please someone. I figured I didn’t have to do that,” he added.

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