‘You’re a kid, behave like one’ – Riyan Parag opens up on verbal altercation with Harshal Patel during IPL 2022

As the dust settles down on IPL 2022, Riyan Parag looked back at his on-field verbal altercation with Harshal Patel during a league stage encounter in Pune.

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) uncapped Indian batter opened up on the whys and hows of his ugly exchange with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) speedster at the midway stage of the game.

As Parag started walking back to the shed upon the completion of the Royals’ first innings, Patel was seen running past him and saying something to the youngster.

Parag then turned back and went towards him and gave it back in equal measure before, thankfully, the RR support staff members and RCB’s fellow quick Mohammed Siraj came in between the two cricketers and ensured they didn’t cross the line.

Opening up the matter now during a Rooter Stream, Riyan Parag explained that the exchange was set in stone by an incident that dates back to the previous edition of the IPL in 2021.

Riyan Parag unveils what instigated his on-field feud with Harshal Patel

Speaking on the issue during the stream, Riyan Parag said it was the animated celebration by Patel after taking his wicket during an IPL 2021 league game in Mumbai that initiated his one-on-one battle with the bowler.

“When we were playing against RCB in Mumbai in IPL 2021, Harshal Patel got me out. Having been dismissed, I quietly walked away. But then, Patel made a hand gesture where he was telling me to rush off the ground. I didn’t initially see him do that as I had turned my back to him by then. But I later saw a footage of his celebration in the team hotel,” Riyan Parag said.

“That moment, the way Patel celebrated, got stuck in my mind. So when I hit him for a six in Pune (IPL 2022), I replicated his hand gesture and told him to go back to the bowling mark. I didn’t say any cuss word or anything, just repeated Patel’s action.”

Watch: Harshal Patel, Riyan Parag engaged in heated argument after RCB bowler got smacked for two sixes

Some clarification by Riyan Parag about the “Twitter made Controversies” in his Rooter Stream today –
With Harshal and Siraj:- pic.twitter.com/xFPp5xurdE
— iThunder (@HiPrsm) June 4, 2022

Parag made an interesting revelation, stating how Siraj too played a role in his eventual altercation with Patel by telling him to mind his age before messing up with his senior Indian players like that.

“Later when I stopped before going back to the Royals shed (upon the completion of the innings), it was Siraj who told me, ‘Oye, oye.. bachha hai bachche ki tarah rah (you’re a kid, behave like one),” Parag revealed as Patel then also got involved in the exchange and it required members of the Royals support staff to separate the duo.