'I'm going to play for India' - Uncapped IPL star is certain of his future

IPL has given many youngsters a platform to play at the highest level. Over the years. the IPL has given some highly talented players to the Indian team, who have gone on to win matches. In the recently concluded IPL 2024, many youngsters were impressive and have staked their claim for the higher level.

One of those youngsters is Riyan Parag. The 22-year-old has been in the mix for some years now. He has always been regarded as a highly talented cricketer in the domestic arena. But Parag had been unable to repicate his domestic success to the IPL till the last year.

Parag was signed by Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2019. Since then, he has been an integral part of the RR squad. He failed to reach 200 runs in any of the last five IPL seasons. But despite his below par performances, the Royals kept showing faith in him. Parag finally repaid the faith in IPL 2024 when he transformed into a different batter altogether.

The youngster smashed 573 runs in 14 innings at an outstanding average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21 this IPL season and finished as the third highest run-getter. His consistency made everyone wonder about his talent and at one time, he was even being considered for India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad.

'I'm going to play for India' - Riyan Parag

After a brilliant IPL season, Parag was confident of representing India in future. He mentioned that it was his belief that he is going to play for India some day.

"At some point, you'll have to take me, right? So that is my belief, I'm going to play for India. I don't really care when. (Even) when I was not scoring runs - I said this in an (earlier) interview as well that I am going to play for India," Parag was quoted as saying by PTI.

"That is me believing in myself. That is not me being arrogant. That is what my plan was with my dad (former Railways and Assam player Parag Das), when I started playing cricket when I was like 10-years old. We were going to play for India regardless of anything," the 22-year-old allrounder was confident of representing India in future..

"Whether it's the next tour, whether it's a tour in six months, whether it's a tour in one year... I don't really put my thought behind when I should play. That is the selector's job, that is other people's job," Parag added.

Parag batted at the lower middle order in the previous five IPL seasons but was promoted to No. 4 this year. The move worked immediately as he found form right from the start of IPL 2024 and carried his form till the end of the season.

Also read: 'Iska thank you hai': IPL star reveals Hardik Pandya's brutal sledging

India is scheduled to tour Zimbabwe after the T20 World Cup 2024 to play five T20Is. Being one of the high-class performers of IPL 2024, Parag could be among the players to get an India call-up.

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