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“He won’t fit the bill because...” - R Ashwin decodes the way of entry in ODIs for Riyan Parag

Umesh Sharma

Virat Kohli and Riyan Parag (Source: AFP)Virat Kohli and Riyan Parag (Source: AFP)

The young India all-rounder Riyan Parag hasn’t appeared in the ODIs since he made his debut in the format almost a year and a half ago against Sri Lanka. In his only-ever ODI appearance, Parag scored 15 runs with the bat, alongside picking three wickets for 54 runs in nine overs. 

However, the fans recently remembered Parag when Washington Sundar failed to deliver with the bat and ball against South Africa in the first two ODIs of the three-match series. Meanwhile, the former India great and Riyan Parag’s ex-RR teammate, Ravichandran Ashwin has a different thought process on the question of Riyan Parag’s place in the Indian team for the ODIs. 

"He succeeded as a good no 3 or 4..." - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin differs from the common notion among the fans and other analysts. He came up with a bit of factual analysis while speaking about the possibilities for Riyan Parag’s position in the ODI team. 

“Ok, let me try this. Riyan is a fine fine talent, he does have runs and averages 41 in list A cricket. At the moment the requirement is to come in at no 5 or 6, give the required thrust and fill in some overs, hence he won’t fit the bill because he hasn’t batted at that number for his franchisee or Assam. He started as a finisher for RR and that didn't work, he succeeded as a good no 3 or 4,” wrote Ashwin in a post on his official handle (formerly Twitter). 


“Ruturaj [Gaikwad] has now been given a chance at 4, and that seems out of position for some, but he has batted at 3 in the IPL over the last season or 2, which now looks like an effort to show how versatile he can be. Rutu’s instance could well be a case of communication from the selection front ( either coach, selector or anyone from the management ) or his decision,” he added later. 

Speaking of Riyan Parag’s List-A career, he has scored 1947 runs in 50 innings, with a decent batting average of 41.42, hitting five centuries and eleven centuries. Still, it seems to be a long journey for him to make it to India’s ODI team.