Indian cricket star Virat Kohli said that Riyan Parag has the potential to become a key player for India in the future. Kohli presented Parag with his first One Day International (ODI) cap on August 7. Parag replaced Arshdeep Singh for the third ODI match against India at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Parag had previously played his first T20 International (T20I) match against Zimbabwe on July 6, but he didn’t perform well, getting out for just 2 runs. After playing six T20I matches, Parag received his first ODI cap and remembered his challenging journey to this point. The 22-year-old was given his debut cap by his role model, Virat Kohli, who also gave an inspiring speech to the young player.
Kohli said Parag is India’s future match winner and believes there’s no better time for him to make his debut, especially since India is currently trailing 0-1 in the series.
“Riyan, first of all, congratulations on getting to play your first game for India. In today’s cricket, we know that besides performances, the people responsible for your selection have been watching you closely and they see something special in you. After talking to GG Bhai, the selectors, Rohit, and everyone else, they all see something special in you,” Kohli said in a video shared by BCCI.
“You have the ability to be a match-winner for India. I know you believe in yourself, and I’ve known you for a while now. We all believe in you. There’s no better time to step in than today, with the team 0-1 down, to begin your international career. With your strong presence on the field, both with the bat and in the fielding, I wish you all the best. Cap number 256, Riyan Parag,” he added.
The 22-year-old cricket player from Assam shared that everyone said his goal of playing for India was unrealistic, but he turned it into a personal challenge to wear the national team’s uniform.
“Being from Assam, people said it was too difficult, almost unthinkable for someone like me to come here and compete with top players. These are the players I looked up to and admired while growing up. So, that was my goal when I began, but then my dad, my mom, and I decided that we would make this dream happen. And once we did, we felt a great sense of achievement. It happened during the T20 matches,” Parag explained in a video shared by the BCCI.
Parag mentioned that it feels incredible to be in the same team as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whom he admired as a child. He also recounted a touching moment when his parents cried upon hearing the news of his selection for the ODI team.
“It was very emotional for me because I grew up watching Rohit and Virat, and now I’m here practicing with them, staying in the same hotel, and sharing the same room. It all feels very unreal. When I first got the news, I called my mom. She and my dad were on a video call, and I told them about my ODI selection. They were all crying, and it was a very emotional moment for me. Being here and being part of this team feels amazing,” he continued.
In his six T20 matches up to now, Parag has made a total of 57 runs, with his best score being 26. He has also taken three wickets. He is looking forward to doing a good job for his team and assisting India in preventing a series loss.
